The STF Headquarters was moving like it always did.
Busy halls. Soldiers rushing between rooms. Support crews working overtime. The hangar below roaring with engines, ships lifting off and landing nonstop.
Everything looked normal.
But normal at HQ usually meant something was about to go wrong.
Up on the higher floors, inside Ian's office, four names had been called in.
Ice King. Blue Blaze. Shadow. Nightcoil.
They made their way up together, stepping into Ian's office where he was already standing by his desk with a mission file open.
Ian looked up. "Good. You're all here."
Ice King leaned against the wall like he already knew this was going to be annoying. "What's the job?"
Ian tapped the file. "Escort mission."
Blue Blaze raised an eyebrow. "Escort what?"
Ice King pointed at him. "That's what I was about to ask."
Ian gave them both a look. "I'm getting to it."
Shadow stayed quiet, arms crossed, while Nightcoil stood beside him trying to look calm, even though he was clearly interested.
Ian continued. "You'll be escorting a massive transport train moving through the middle of one of our active battlefields."
Shadow's eyes narrowed slightly. "That sounds fun."
"It won't be," Ian said immediately. "This train is carrying civilians evacuated from nearby cities, wounded soldiers, medical supplies, power cores, research equipment, and other high-value cargo."
That killed the joking mood fast.
Ian looked around the room. "Which means raiders, demons, and mercenaries are all going to want it."
Nightcoil shifted slightly. "So it's basically a giant moving target."
"Exactly," Ian said. "And it's on a frozen planet."
Ice King's expression finally brightened. "Oh, that's fine. Mini vacation."
Blue Blaze stared at him. "You hear 'battlefield train full of wounded people' and think vacation?"
Ice King shrugged. "Depends on the weather."
Ian closed the file. "Get moving."
The squad geared up and rolled out not long after.
Their ship cut through the atmosphere of the frozen world and landed near a station buried in snow. The moment the ramp opened, icy wind slammed into them.
Blue Blaze immediately hunched his shoulders. "Oh, nah. This is disrespectful."
Nightcoil pulled his collar tighter. "Why does the air hurt?"
Shadow said nothing, but even he looked irritated.
Ice King stepped off the ship like he had just arrived at a beach resort. "You all are being dramatic. This is normal weather."
Shadow glanced at him. "Easy for you to say. You're basically built out of winter."
Ice King smiled. "Exactly. Superior design."
Before anyone could respond, a loud horn cut through the wind.
The train arrived.
It came roaring through the snow like a steel beast, massive and armored, ice breaking off its sides as it slowed. Its brakes screamed against the tracks, steam rising around it in thick clouds. The whole thing gave off a deep mechanical hum, like it was alive and angry about being stopped.
The doors opened.
Shadow looked toward the others. "Let's find the conductor."
They moved through the first few cars, passing civilians bundled in coats, injured soldiers wrapped in blankets, medics checking wounds, and cargo containers sealed behind reinforced locks.
The train wasn't just transporting supplies.
It was carrying lives.
They eventually found the conductor near the front, an older man with tired eyes and hands that looked like they had been gripping controls for too many years.
He turned when they entered and immediately relaxed a little. "You're the STF escort?"
Ice King nodded. "That's us."
The conductor let out a breath. "Good. I appreciate it. We needed the assistance, especially until this battle passes."
Shadow glanced at the front window, where endless white stretched beyond the tracks. "How bad has it been?"
The conductor looked back toward the storm. "Bad enough that every mile matters."
Ice King gave him a calm nod. "We'll do our best to make sure the train reaches the other side."
Blue Blaze added, "Preferably without exploding."
The conductor stared at him.
Blue Blaze cleared his throat. "That was supposed to be reassuring."
"It wasn't," Shadow said.
They set up in one of the middle train cars, choosing a spot with access to both passenger sections and cargo storage.
Maps were spread out. Patrol routes marked. Emergency plans formed.
Shadow and Ice King took lead on the structure. Shadow wanted scouting rotations, rooftop checks, blind spot coverage, and entry-point control. Ice King focused on terrain, weather, and how to use the frozen environment if they were attacked.
Blue Blaze leaned over the map. "So basically, we're guarding the people, the cargo, the roof, the tracks, and the outside."
Nightcoil looked at him. "That's… the whole train."
"Exactly," Blue Blaze said. "I'm just making sure we all understand the unfairness."
Ice King tapped the table. "Stop complaining. First rotation starts in ten."
Nightcoil nodded, more serious now. "I'll take roof watch."
Shadow looked at him. "Don't get comfortable. If anything moves out there, you call it in before engaging."
Nightcoil gave a small grin. "Yes, sir."
Outside, night began to settle over the frozen battlefield.
The train kept moving, cutting through snow and darkness, its lights glowing faintly against the endless white.
Inside, civilians tried to sleep. Wounded soldiers rested. Cargo locks hummed softly.
And the STF squad waited.
Because everyone on that train knew the same thing.
A target this valuable would not stay untouched for long.