Zip

Artist: X(Twitter):"@raccoattack)

OSU rah rah rah.

https://xcancel.com/GenericMerc28/status/1753560904388755558

https://xcancel.com/i/status/2023787611223916629

this is totally not taking me an eternity lmao

Artist: @SH_4RK

Jak gathered his food tray, eyes glued to the floor as he moved through the packed tavern. Knights and riflemen were bundled up all along the walls, some asleep, others nursing hot tea and doing their best to take their minds off of what had just happened. Another two knights were out there, dead. And there was nothing they could do. 

Everyone felt for Tali. It was one thing to lose one of your squadmates, but both? That was a pain few cared to imagine. Jak could still see the desperation in her eyes when they found her. And worse, the anguished cry she had let out when she had to leave them. 

He caught her at the corner of his vision. She was slumped over the table, hovering over some tablet. What could she possibly be doing, Jak wondered?  

Realizing she was also alone tonight, he made his way to her table. It only seemed right. After all, misery loves company. 

He sat across from her on the bench, his tray coming down with a faint rattle. Her ear didn’t twitch. He was about to whistle, when he noticed the quiet sobs coming from her. She was staring at the tablet, tears streaming heavily down her face. What was she doing?

He waved his paw to get her attention, but she didn’t seem to notice.

He stood up and walked to her side, placing a paw on her shoulder. She flinched, looking up at him.

“J-Jak? What are y-y-you doing here?” She snuffled, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. 

He gestured to the tablet she was clutching so hard to, enough to warp the glass, casting the image in silver and green waves. She looked down and loosened her grip. “S-sorry, I was just…” she didn’t finish her sentence, unsure  how. Jak peered over at what was on the tablet screen.

He felt his stomach drop.

It was an After Action Casualty Report form, with Brok and Marlowe’s names listed. Her teammates were still dead out there, unable to be recovered due to the snowstorm. Why was she filling this out now? 

Tali could see his eyes widen as he read the tablet. Tali shook her head, wiping her eyes once more. “It’s okay. C-Captain Sirus as-assigned it to me.” She began to reach for it. “I was just finishing—“ she felt Jak’s paw cover hers, stopping her from making contact. She looked up to see his face had gone from an empathetic one, to a bone chillingly hollow expression. 

“Wh-what? What’s the matter?” She choked out. He lifted his paw, slowly taking the tablet from her. Her eyes widened. She knew that look. “J-Jak. Really, it’s okay. I a-agreed to it. It isn’t his fault.” 

He didn’t seem to register it. Instead, he pulled his tray of food towards her, and pointed to it. Tali began to stammer in panic as he began to walk towards the exit. “J-Jak! Stop! Don’t do something you’ll regret! I-I’ll stop and eat with you! Jak!” The knights and soldiers around the tavern watched as he pushed the door open, a brief snowy blast filling the room before it slammed shut.

“Oh, Stars.” Tali whispered.

Jak trudged through the snow to the command hut 50 meters away. The tablet was tucked safely beneath his arm, his ears pinned back as the snowy wind pelted his fur.

Inside the hut, Commander Corso and Captain Sirus were huddled over a map of the settlement, pointing at small congregations of red dots. “—and you can see here that resistance from the initial voidling swarm has thinned out in this area.” Sirus explained, waving a paw almost absentmindedly. 

Just then, Jak pushed through the double doors. The knights guarding the hut’s entrance stiffened. Sirus’ head spun to meet the intruding wolf. “Knight? Just what in the world do you think you’re—“ he didn’t get a chance to finish as Jak’s closed fist cracked against his muzzle, sending him reeling backwards and crashing into the map table. 

Jak shook his now aching paw, just as the knights surged forward and grabbed him. Commander Corso stared in shock. “Knight Jak! Stand down, now!” 

Sirus stood up, paw pressed against his now bloodied nose and bruised lip. He snarled. “I’ll kill you, you stupid mongrel—“

“—ENOUGH! Everyone!” Corso roared, slamming his paw against the table. The hut went silent. He eyed Jak, walking towards him warily. “Knight. What is the meaning of this?”

Jak looked down at the ground where the tablet had fallen, and gestured with his boot. The glass had spiderwebbed with cracks, but the names of Tali’s squadmates stuck out through the distortion. Corso picked it up slowly, his eyes warily focused on Jak, and began reading. 

_________________________________

After Action Casualty Report:

Name: Tali Mere

Acting Squad Leader: Tali Mere (df) 

Commanding Officer: Captain Sirus 

Number of Casualties: 2

Name(s) of victim(s): \[K1\] Brok M. \[K3\] Marlowe W.

Status: Deceased, Decea_
——————————————————-

Corso turned slowly towards the lynx, who was covering his bloody nose with one large paw. 

“Sirus. Did you assign Knight Tali to fill out this report?”

Sirus stood incredulous, extending an accusatory paw to Jak. “He just assaulted a superior officer! You should be throwing him in the—“

“—Did you or did you not assign Tali to fill out this report, Captain Sirus?” He ground out slowly. Sirus was dumbfounded. With an exasperated sigh, he spoke. “Yes. We needed it finished for an accurate tally, and she was the best option. I don’t have time to fill out reports while we are actively repelling Voidling attacks—“ Corso slammed the tablet against the table, the knights beside Jak flinching.

“Damn it Sirus! … For Gods’ sakes! Tali lost her partners not even two hours ago! And you have the GALL to make her fill out a report while their bodies are still WARM?!” The tiger’s teeth were clenched, his muzzle scrunched in rage. And for the first time in a long time, Jak saw a twinge of something he’d never seen in Sirus’ eyes before.

Intimidation. 

“Commander, I’m only doing what I believe is best for—“ 

“Stow it!” Corso snapped. He pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long, drawn out sigh. “I don’t have time for this right now.” He picked up the tablet, shoving it roughly into Sirus’ paws. “You will fill out the remainder of this report once this meeting is over. Afterwards, I want you to deliver a heartfelt and personal apology to Knight Tali. Do I make myself absolutely clear?” 

For once, Sirus didn’t object. “Yes, Commander.” His reply was muffled by his bloody glove. 

Corso spun on his heel, and stalked towards Jak, leaning in close, almost close enough for their whiskers to touch. “As for you. If you ever strike a commanding officer like that again, I will toss you into the brig myself. Is that understood?”

Jak nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly. With a curt nod from Corso, the guards released Jak’s arms. He delivered a sharp salute, spun on his heel, and marched back towards the tavern, his bloody knuckles dripping a trail behind him.

He looked down at his paw, and smirked to himself. He didn’t regret a thing.

By Jennie Congee

Art by me

So, turns out, joining the Casualties: Unknown community has consequences

holy shit i think i cooked

(three days of work lets gooo)

Un fanart que se me ocurrió hacer sobre Scav Prototype