It was cold.

That's all Farrah could think about really, the cold, where here on Outpost 32, there wasn't much else BUT that to think about.

Farrah was dressed in the standard issue Cobalt set: A plain grey Knight helmet and basic armour, protecting all but his torso, which was covered by a sturdy cloth that hung down to his legs.

However, he was wearing the ever-popular Wolver Coat over it. For warmth; the wolver series was used by almost EVERYONE upon arrival to Haven, he just didn’t feel right adding to that list.

Wolver Coats were a sawdust-brown fur coat, held tightly together by a suit of darker brown fabric, to keep the fur closely packed for extra warmth. The front was protected by a series of gold-coloured metal-rimmed flaps, hanging down over each other until they almost reached the floor. The whole thing had an ‘overcoat’ feel to it anyway, excluding the little utility pouch added at the back.

Drawing the extra thick-fur of a Wolver hide around himself for warmth, he took back his impulsive thought. He could think about how warm he would be if he WASN'T here.

The smell of hot chocolate wafted past his nose. Looking up, he saw a purple mug with the initials M.O.M, and a caption under it worded: 'Because misery loves company'.

"Would there be something wrong if I said you'll catch a cold here?" The warm face of the speaker rivalled that of the hot drink in her hands.

Farrah accepted the mug eagerly, sipping some of the heated brew before letting out a deep sigh.

"Thanks Miranda. I needed that." He said before handing the mug back to her.

She shrugged as she received her mug back. "We gotta stick together. 'Post 32 rules. So don't think you've got a girl after only two days on duty." It was usually hard to see anyone wink under the dark grey fur of the Wolf-head shaped helmet she was wearing, but somehow, she made it easy.

Farrah held his hands up slightly in mock indignation. "Are you implying that there are ladies who could resist my charm?"

She slapped him on the back playfully. "Yep. And they wouldn't have to look past the frost on your face to do it. Seriously, you look like an Ice troll!"

"No I don't..." He trailed off as he turned off to the side and brushed his face, just in case.

Miranda laughed. "Don't worry, we'll look after you. How's that Wolver coat Hurit gave you holding up?"

Farrah pulled it closer around him, shuffling around experimentally. "It's good. At least I can feel the rest of my body now. You sure he didn't have a spare VOG coat? Those things are like portable heaters."

Vog coats were similar to the Wolver furs Miranda and he were wearing, except for the simple fact that they dripped molten lava, like a raincoat drips water after being in the rain.

"Sorry, outpost regulations." Miranda shrugged. "Sometimes we need to do stealth missions, and the heat from a Vog coat would give away our position easier, more so in a winter wonderland like this."

Farrah scowled and buried his chin into the coat. Just his luck to bring the Standard-issue Cobalt gear on an outpost mission. If he knew the conditions, he'd have crafted a Wolver coat before he left. At least he wouldn't have to borrow like a newbie from other Knights. Luckily for him, they were nice about it.

There were roughly twenty of them stationed in this outpost. His cabin was known as the Permafrost division. So far he had met Hurit, who had given him this coat, Kelvan and Kelvet, a pair of twins and Miranda, the tomboy who was nicer than she'd like to let on.

He had yet to see Kryon, who he was told was the leader of their division. He had been told Kryon was a reserved one, only telling the team what they needed to know when they needed it. Farrah wanted to make a good impression, but all he had done so far was borrow things and seem out of place.

Miranda noticed the look on his face. "Cheer up buddy!" She slapped him on the back, startling him from his thoughts. "We're a family here, and you're our new little brother. So don't worry about making a fool out of yourself."

She checked her timekeeper on her HUD. "Oops, looks like I have to head off to scout the southern border of our area. I'll see ya later Far!" She ran off with a light wave.

Far nodded and waved a little, careful not to leave the comforting warmth of the coat.

At least the company was good.

Suddenly, the Wolver coat was snatched from his grasp. Feeling exposed, Farrah felt around a bit before spinning around, only to see Kelvan and Kelvet giggling like a pair of excited chimps.

"Give that back!" He yelled to the pair, who were both dressed in Chroma-lizard skins.

The Chroma suits sported large claw-like gauntlets, and fabric-part of the armour clung tightly to their frames. Light, gold plating covered the back of the hands and the torso, as well as the shins. The helmet was open at the middle, with a jagged-cut to mimic teeth. Eyes decorated the sides of the helmet, and the classic Chromalisk tongue hung down from the lower ‘jaw’.

They just giggled. "'Back'?" Questioned Kelvan. "You mean to say this coat is yours?" Added Kelvet.

Farrah was at a loss for words. "Well, no, but..."

The twins gasped in mock astonishment. "Not yours? You don't mean you…" They shared a sneaky glance and gasped simultaneously. "STOLE it?"

Farrah was taken aback. This early into his transfer, he really didn't want to be thought of as a thief. "No! It's not like that! Um...ah...Hurit gave that to me!" He yelled, hugging his shoulders as the cold started to creep into the metal of his suit.

"Give it to you?" Said Kelvan. "Or took it from him?" Added Kelvet.

"No! That's not true! I would never-" Farrah was cut off by something furry attaching itself to his back.

"Give it up, they won't stop until you run crying." A voice deadpanned as the owner, dressed in a deep hood with a dark star-spangled cloak, walked up alongside.

The twins pouted. "Aw, Hurit, you're no fun."

Hurit ignored them. "Don't worry, I'll get my coat back from them later.” He said, turning to clearly face Farrah. “I didn't give you both because they'd just steal both from you, and then you'd really be stuck. You're too much of an easy target."

Farrah pulled the new coat around him. From its present warmth, it was evident Hurit kept them on a heater rack.

"Thanks man, I owe you another one. And you had TWO of these?"

Hurit pushed up his glasses under his hood. "I am always prepared." He stated matter-of-factly.

Abruptly, a long, high whistle blasted through the air, followed by three quick bursts. It repeated itself once more before stopping

"What was that?" Farrah started, before he noticed Hurit was walking away.

"A warning. From Miranda. Single party threat. Thirty contacts. Assistance needed." The Cloak-clad armourer informed him.

"...Tell me you're prepared for that." Farrah said nervously.

He stopped as something was thrust infront of his face: A fairly long, pale white blade with a glowing blue strip near the hilt.

It was a Tempered Calibur. His. "Outpost rule #25. Always carry a weapon with you, in case of surprise assault." The monotone spoke without reprimand.

Farrah accepted his sword gratefully. "Well, I guess we better get going then. Where-"

He was cut off by a sudden scream that pierced the air, startling them all out of step.

"...That can't be good..." He whispered, before realizing Hurit had taken off at a sprint now, and was some distance ahead of him.

Clipping the Wolver Coat to his armour, Farrah followed quickly, forcing his frozen limbs to move despite the biting cold. Whatever was going on, they might need him there. He may finally get to prove himself, and repay the debts he already owed.

----------------------------------------

Miranda swore as she ducked behind the rock again. “Dammit, what’s taking those idiots so long?”

She peeked over the rock. Some few hundred metres away was a party of Cryo Knights, trooping tirelessly through the snow. She had seen a glimpse of them about five minutes after she left the base entrance, since having crept closer to check on their numbers.

It was a good thing Mechas’ only sense of hearing was to respond to basic pre-programmed commands, or she’d have been found out when she whistled. Still, backup was taking longer to get there than she liked.

Miranda turned on her com, to be met only with static. “Dammit, they’re still out of range.” She cursed.

Sighing, she sank back into the snow. I wish Kryon was here… She smiled at the name, remembering his first day.

Contrary to what most people thought, Hurit and Miranda were the first members of the Permafrost division, not Kryon. They got along fine, each supporting the other however much they needed. Hurit made sure all their supplies and gear reserves were ok, and Miranda oversaw the paperwork and assumed leadership.

Then Kryon arrived. In many ways, he was just like Farrah, having arrived ill-prepared for a winter scene (in very much the same outfit as their new guest), and seemed a bit awkward around them. As a result, he kept mostly to himself, quietly going about his assigned tasks, rarely asking for help.

Not that he didn’t need any. She had lost count of the times he had messed up, and with a laugh, she had to go and redo it for him. He would mumble an apology and a ‘thank you’, to which she just brushed off and reassured him he could ask for help when he needed it.

Then, one day, Kryon actually asked her to help. It was heater maintenance, if she remembered correctly.

They had worked silently for a few minutes, before he asked her if their base had ever been attacked. It hadn’t, and he just nodded slowly, asking if it ever got boring. She laughed and told him ‘better bored than dead’.

Then, one day, they came. The Cryo Knights. Tireless mechanical warriors, with an ‘X’ slitted visor for vision, blue armour that protected their near skeletal frames from the cold, they attacked.

She would never forget that day. Their little outpost had gotten too relaxed, taking for granted that there was no action around, disregarding training routines, and forgetting all but the instinctual protocol.

So it was no surprise that when the Cryo Knights came, back-mounted exhaust pipes chugging, that they would meet only token resistance.

The Permafrost division was one of the only few teams that had persisted in their duties, so were better off during the attack. A slash here, a block there, they managed to hold their own, for a while.

But like all things, that soon came to an end. They soon reached their physical limits, Miranda herself only just managing to run-though one, last Mecha before collapsing, having exhausted all of her strength. Hurit had lost consciousness twenty second prior.

But still, the machines came. A fresh wave of them descending upon the fatigued pair, who had made their final stand at the entrance to their base, engines humming, armour gleaming. Miranda knew then, that one way or another, the end was near.

Then, in a whirlwind of snow, and a mumbled apology for his lateness, Kryon appeared in their midst. Swift Flourish in hand, he charged at the Mecha Knights, his blade seeking out their weak points and joints, using the small tip and long length to hit where it mattered. A stab through a visor, a viscous ripping of their joints, he tore through their numbers, like fire through ice.

She didn’t know how long it took. Thirty seconds? Five minutes? All she remembered was that eventually, they retreated. The non-feeling machines turned tail and fled from the grey figure that had opposed them.

And thus, the Permafrost Division had become the head group, and Kryon, the leader of the outpost.

She smiled at the memory. Kryon always seemed to be late, but his skill more than made up for it, most of the time.

A burst of static from her comm alerted her to an incoming transmission. “Mir….da…sting…Is this thing working?”

“It’s fine now Kryon. What’s going on?” She replied, checking around her to make sure her position was secured.

“I’ve spotted an enemy unit; a fairly large one too. Mind turning on your beacon so I can get a lock on your location?”

Miranda glanced around her rock again. “I know, I see them. Are you sure that’s a good idea? They may be able to trace me.”

Kryon paused for a second. “They might, but at the direction and speed they’re moving at, they’ll find you anyway. Best to turn it on so we can rendezvous ASAP.”

She nodded to herself. “Good plan. I’ll hold my position then.” She reaffirmed her grip on her Glacius, the blade of which was buried deep in the snow.

“Good. I’ll be there soon. Kryon, out.” A small click signalled the end of the transmission.

Letting out a deep, quiet sigh, Miranda rested her back on the rock, closing her eyes. A few minutes…Just a few more minutes… She thought to herself. Frankly, she was tired of this constant conflict. Their earlier job was fine, but this constant defending was just…

Her eyes snapped open as she suddenly became aware of the whiiring and clicking directly infront of her. The group of thirty Cryo Knights she had been monitoring…

Were now all staring directly at her, blades raised.

All those years of training, all her experience in battle…All abandoned her in that one, terrifying moment.

Her screams pierced the air around Outpost 32.

END PART 1.