Old Starship Troopers RPG
Alright everyone, nice zombie rpg, great stuff in there. I loved it very much, infact I've even started to draft it as a possible story for my school work. Now we do another rpg which will be just as good, Starship Troopers.
RPG Rules:
1. You are either...
A: Yourself.
B: A created character.
2. You may not be a set character, Rico, Ace, Carmen, etc.
3. You must be human, you may be any type however. They include...
A: Mobile Infantry
B: Fleet
4. You must use only things from Starship Troopers (No MJOLNIR :P)
5. You may however, custom your gear/weapons. (Scopes etc.)
(Keep it realalistic.)
6. Do not kill off someone elses RPG player.
7. You may change your RPG character as long as...
A: You kill your current one, such as an explosion or gunshot.
B: Your new charcter is totaly different with no relation to your first character.
8. Dont spam, go off topic, or post stupid things, this can go really well and get great fun if its done properly.
FRIENDLY INFORMATION
WEAPONS:
Morita: Main rifle, full auto, shotgun underbarrel (Similar to an M203)
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/4227/moritatv7.gif
Morita Carbine: Smaller rifle, full auto, no shotgun.
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/386...carbinehw1.gif
Sniper Morita: Morita rifle with a scope, also has single shot option.
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/563...rmoritarj7.gif
Nuke Launcher: A compact rocket launcher with the power of a nuke in a small blast radius.
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/142...auncherjx9.jpg
Grenade: A standrad HE grenade, 5 second fuse starts when you release the button.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2507/grenadetx5.jpg
SHIPS:
Dropship: Takes you plaent side into the fight.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7221/dropshipch9.jpg
Retrieval Boat: Evacs you after missions/operations.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/760...valboatae4.jpg
Carrier Ship: A capital ship (A Halo equivelent of the Pillar Of Autumn)
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/992...eryoungoj8.jpg
Escape Pod: A carrier escape pod, incase of emergency.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/3423/escapepodxg3.jpg
TAC Fighter: Fight/bobmer used in planetside operations/air support.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/9...fighterfw3.jpg
ENEMIES:
Warrior: Deadly, tought, fast. Hard to kill, can take up to 50-60 rounds.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2903/warriorok2.jpg
Hopper: Same as warrior, flys, is capable of decapitating soldiers.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4130/hopperku7.jpg
Tanker: Incredibly tough, very large, grenades work best, shoots lava/acid like substance from mouth.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6961/tankerxs7.jpg
Plasma Bug: Shoots plasma into the air and into space. Takes a nuke to kill, dangerous to orbiting ships and incoming dropships.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7...asmabugek3.jpg
Worker: Repairs things underground, harmless, hard shell.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5206/workerak2.jpg
Chariot: Carries the brain bug, acts as it's servant/scout.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/3374/chariotiw2.jpg
Brain Bug: Very rare, the "Comander" of the bugs in the area. Fragile shell, but guarded by many Warriors. Will stab head and suck out brians if it's brought prisoners.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1871/brainbughx7.jpg
UPDATES
Chamelon: A rather interesting bug fighter, this bug has the ability to use a physcic barrier to render itself invisible. This, combined with it's warrior like aggresion, makes it a deadly foe.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/8214/chameleonfw6.jpg
Rhino: A larger version of the worker bug, this is used mostly for establishing larger bug holes and underground tunnles. Although not used for combat, the Rhino can reach extreme speeds and trample unfortunent troopers.
http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/1184/rhinoxj0.jpg
Rippler: Similar to the hopper, the Rippler is different in color. Similar in coor to the warrior, yet flying like the hopper, the Rippler can shoot large and deadly spines from it's mouth, much like giant procupine quills, these can pierce trooper armour.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/4055/ripplermo4.jpg
Other information:
Bug Holes: The bugs come out of the ground, literaly bursting from the planet's crust, Similar to sink holes. See image.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2567/sinkholesy0.jpg
Ranks: Lowest-Highest
Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Leiutenant, Ensign, Captain, Major, Colonel, General.
VIDEO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT AN EXAMPLE SO THINGS.
Klendathu Invasion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWhrGGrs3Ow
A Battle On Planet P (You need to have a membership that's over 18 to view this.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TWoay_nHBU
War Information
Last week (In the RPG) the bugs managed to hit Bueno Aries with an asteroid shot out of space by bug plasma. The asteroid wiped out all of Bueno Aries and in result, the Federation declared war on the bugs. A large force of mobile infantry and fleet was disbatched to the bugs homeworld Klendathu. We were confident we could destory them
We were wrong.
With over 500,000 dead in the first hour, the humans retreated back to orbit to re-think their strategy. After much thinking, and new comanders, the Federation has planned to take out the surrounding plaents before hitting Klendathu again.
(This RPG) On the plaent labeled "Planet P" by the Federation, humans have discovered a medium tonnage plaent with a medium level of bugs present. Or so they though. Multiple teams have been sent to locations acorss the planet to gather information.
Numerous distress signals have come through from different outposts and colonist cities. The mobile infantry with the support of fleet has been sent in to check on our colonists there, and discover what the emergency calls where for.
This is where we start our RPG. Get you're Morita and get into the fight soldier!
Sergeant Cody Shaer blinked a series of times, clearing his vision of stars as the dropship rocked and bounced as it descended onto the surface of Planet P. His platoon, rather, the platoon he was in, was being sent to check on a distress call from a Colonist outpost by the name of Indigo 7. He looked over at his platoon's leader, Lieutenant Geoff Rolland. His face was stone hard, no expression, nothing. Cody looked back forward, towards the other 43 members of the platoon.
Besides regular grunts which made up of 40, the other 3 were the platoon Medics named Kelsey Boule, and Lexy Ford and the communications technition James Main. Cody was happy to have them, after Klendathu he hoped he'd never have to call one of them over for anyone he new.
The bugs were vicious, ripping people apart limb by limb and if not, they left nasty gashes and gaping stab wounds wherever their claws could get to. He'd sen the Hopper's too, flying so low they decapitated soldiers, and the Tankers. Cody shuddered. He's seen people burned alive by their acid. He looked at his left arm.
He'd been lucky, he was just to the left of the acid spray when the Tanker got the drop on them in the Klendathu invasion. He was close enough however, for it to take of his left arm from the elbow down. Now he had a robotic replacment which worked just as good as his right arm which was still normal.
He felt the usual jolt up as the dropship cleared the atmosphere and entered normal air. The protective harnesses around the soldiers released as 45 men and women of the Mobile Infantry stood. Lt. Rolland moved to the front by the exit ramps.
"The best way out is through soldiers! Let's kick some bug ass!"
The roar of the men and women in the dropship was loud and long. Everyone unslung their rifles, cocking the bolts and chambering a round into the reciever. Cody did the same, pulling out his smaller Morita Carbine. He liked it's faster rate of fire than the Standrad Morita, although he wished it packed more ammo into a clip.
The ramps lowered and bright sun filled the dropship, temporarily blinding the soldiers inside. Cody moved at the front with Lt. Rolland.
"Ready sir?"
Rolland nodded.
"Always son."
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Mike removed the barrel from his Morita rifle, he swept clean all the debri from it, and re-oiled it so it would shoot smoothly. A marine walked into his tent, it was Corporal Jimmy Frickle, a friend of Mike. "How you doing Jim?" Mike questioned.
"Ah, doing just fine, and yourself?" Mike cocked back his Morita rifle,
"Doing just fine." Mike replied. Mike, or Private Michael Bitansky had been placed on Outpost Charlie-8, the farthest outpost of the human colonly located on Planet P, about six miles from HQ.
The federation had recently taking over Planet-P, and are having delays taking grounds, as the bugs keep on counter-attacking all outpost, which struck fear into Mike, he knew the bugs would attack, but he questioned when.
Lieutenant John Kenfy walked into the tent, "Corporal, you and your squad are scouting the region in an hour, suit up!" He ordered.
"Let's move Mike, we got killing to do!" Mike stood up on his legs, slung his Morita rifle over his shoulder and made way to the armory. He opened the doors where took his uniform and ammunition for his rifle.
He made way outside, the hot sun almost blinding him. "Bravo-Squad, let's move!" Ordered Sergeant Tyler Hulson, the squad leader of Mike and Jimmy. The squad formed up, with their rifles loaded and ready. The blast door dropped, smacking face first into the sandy ground.
"I expect you back at 1600 hours," Said Lt. Kenfy. Mike took a step onto the soft sandy ground, it wasn't his first time out scouting, he'd previously gone out, killing three of those Warrior bugs.
"Let's move Bravo!" Ordered the Sgt. The team let out an 'oo-rah' as they made their way North of the outpost.
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As Cody's vision cleared, he realized that Plant P could have also been called hell. Dusty rocks of copper littered the sandy sufrace as intimidating mountains of rock and stone loomed in the distance. The hills and valleys around him beckoned him to come closer, to explore their trails.
Probobly bug infested to hell.
Cody turned away and continued walking, his position as Sergeant placed him next to Rolland. He checked his rifle to make sure it was ready to shoot, it was. He heard a rock fall and spun, rifle rasing as James slowed down behind him.
"Leiutenant! Incoming from Indigo 7!" James said as he passed Rolland the reciever. Rolland place it to his ear.
"This is Lieutenant Rolland of Razors over."
"Lieutenant! We need you here as soon as you can get here! We have a priority one, oh my god!"
Rolland pulled back from the reciever as screams and static pierced the air. He passed it back to James who placed it back onto the radio pack on his back. Rolland turned to face the platoon behind him.
"Razors! We're moving to Indigo 7 at a jog, they're having a party, and we're late. Haul Ass!"
Rolland turned back and ran towards where Indigo 7 was established. The platoon following behind him. Cody picked up his pace a little, pushing up to the front where Rolland was. He observed his surrounds with a sureal understanding.
The sun was blazing down from the sky, heat waves dancing across the barren desert all around him. The dust clouds forming by the platoon's running started to sting and poke at his eyes as he blinked for relief. He looked at Rolland. The back of his neck was coated in sweat over a tatoo. Cody focused hard to read it.
Rough... Roughnecks? Interesting.
Cody kept running, He'd never heard of "Roughnecks" before.
Must be some kind of sports team or something.
Cody continued his pace for a steady five minutes, slowing down only when Rolland raised a fist to indicate a stop. Cody, panting, looked up to see Indigo 7 not thirty meters from where they stood. Rolland held three figers in the air, and punched forward to the outpost.
A tripplet of soldiers ran forward and up the main ramp into the outpost. As the reached the top, they waved back to Rolland who called out to the platoon.
"Razors! Move up!"
The platoon moved, back at their jogging pace up the main ramp and into the compoud, The command team including Cody and Rolland were last to enter. Cody felt a wave of naussea pass over him. He was in mid turn to puke when Rolland grabbed him.
"Hold it in soldier, your going to have a lot of soldiers looking to you come this next hour."
Cody nodded and stepped forward, attempting to avoid the various pools of blood and spots of gore on the floor around him.
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Mike began to wonder why it was so quite around the valley, his patrol comes up here daily and normally finds a scout of Warrior bugs in groups of three, but not today. "Bravo-Squad," Sgt. Hulson said. He held up two fingers, signaling the scout team to have a break.
Mike cocked an eyebrow, he'd never taken a break before while on patrol, something must be up. He sat down on a smooth rock, but kept his rifle close in hands.
Jim sat next to him, "What's the deal?"
"No clue," Mike replied, clueless of what was going on. Static broke out over the comm as a voice became clear,
"Sir! Bugs! six o'clock in the valley!"
"Marines, move!" Ordered Sgt. Hulson. Mike picked himself up and sprinted down the valley, he came over a hill, he peaked. He saw three Warrior bugs jolting down to their position. "Green to go!" Ordered the Sgt as he fired his Morita rifle.
Mike joined in, as the squad moved down the hill firing at the bugs. Mike fired a steady burst, ripping one of the bugs limbs off, it collapsed, green blood oozed from it's wound, but it kept on coming.
Mike fired full auto with the help of fellow marines as the bugs top jaw split open sending a wave of green gore onto the sandy ground.
Mike spun to his right, firing a barrage of shots as it struck the bugs central nerve, putting it down for good.
"No, no!" Yelled a marine in pain. Mike peaked over the direction of the sound and saw a bug towering over a soldier as he lay on his back, being stabbed by some spike like pincers, one connected to each side as it ripped away at the soldier.
Mike with fellow marines fired at the bug as it moaned and moved back, Mike finished it with a burst sending it down another hill. He spun his head looking at the marine that'd been ripped to shreads, "Good God." Mike said running over.
The rest of the squad gathered around the marine as he suffered six giant holes, the size of a baseball or bigger in his body. Mike had never seen anyone die from these things before, fear struck his head as he felt dizzy.
"Contact outpost Charlie-8, tell them we have a marine K.I.A." Ordered Sgt to another marine.
Sweat dripped down Mike's face, he knelt down on one knee looking into the eyes of the Corporal who'd lost his life. The Corporals eyes, widen with fear, Mike ran his hand down his face closing his eye lids. The moment of sorrow was interupted as a soldier screamed, "Bugs, more bugs!"
Mike weilded his rifle and jogged back up the hill where the rest of the squad took position. Large rocks were used as bipods as the soldiers took aim. Mike lowered his rifle, a dozen bugs charged.
"Look!" Said a marine with curiousity as he pointed in the sky. Mike peaked up seeing a creature that he'd never seen before.
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Rolland turned to the platoon, who was now spread out, moving slowly across the main area of the outpost. "Razors! Police these bodies!" He turned to Cody. "Sergeant, set up a perimeter."
Cody nodded and started barking out orders as the troops started dragging the bodies into a corner. "Give me two on each tower! CLose up that gate, the rest of you, take up positionsions on the wall. Wake up apes! This place crawls! Move it!"
"Sir yes sir!" The razors yelled as they jumped to their tasks. Cody forced a smile as they ran to their posts.
Good, let's just hope it stays as quiet as it is.
Cody moved into the centeral building where Rolland and James had entered. He ducked below the half open door and entered the building. The smell his him first, the musty smell of bug city, the blood, but worst, the bug juice.
He brushed past a dead warrior bug and joined James and Rolland at a communications panel. James was talking to Rolland in a low voice.
"...chances of an actual call is very slim."
Cody tapped Rolland on the shoulder. "Sir! Perimeter is set up, we're secure, for the moment."
Rolland nodded. "Good, Corporal James was informing me that these bodies are days old. He figures the distress call was a trick by the bugs. We don't know how they did it, but it seems we could be in for some trouble."
Cody nodded as James com pack snapped on.
"Uhhh sir? We got a problem out here. You're welcome to comeo ut and join the party anytime, like now?"
Rolland pumped his rifle's shotgun and turned from the COM panel. "Lets move."
Cody nodded and turned running, following Rolland out of the building and back into the blazing sun of planet P. He followed Rolland up the ramps to the wall catwalks. When he reached the top, he felt the urge to puke again, this time, when he turned and did, Rolland didn't stop him.
Cody wiped his mouth, and turned back, finding himself side by side with Rolland and James, both wore grim expressions. Cody, the newest addition to the Razors, was just assigned to them after Klendathu. Acording to the Razors records, they'd been in combat since the Klendathu invasion, clocking in a mere 12 hours of R&R.
When he looked back out, he felt dizzy, unable to believe the thousands of warrior bugs now charging the outpost. Rolland, to Cody's right, started yelling.
"Live forever apes!" Rolland yelled as he started firing his Morita, the muzzle flash dancing like the heat mirages as bullets flew from the barrel and ripped through the air as they launched towards their targets.
Cody took aim and squeezed the trigger. The kickback of the rifle dampened as Cody tightened his shoulder, clamping the rifle tigher into the pocket of his shoulder. His teeth chattered a little, so he bit hard and continued firing.
The bugs on the other hand, kept coming at full speed. A dozen or so dropped, each bug taking a dozen rounds before they fell. Their green blood flying through the air and splattering the sand in random patterns. James placed a foot onto the ledge and yelled above the gunfire.
"Aim for the centeral nerve stem! Along the side of the head!"
The Razors screamed their acknowledgement. "Ho!"
Cody yelled with them honored to take part in the ritual yell to pump up the MI troops. He reloaded as the reciever clicked empty. Slapping in a new clip, he resumed fire, just as the bugs hit the wall 8 feet below them.
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A round fired, followed by a dozen more as Mike pressed down on his trigger. The bullets impacted the sandy ground as they followed up on their pray. "Hoppers!" Yelled one of the marines.
Hoppers? Mike said to himself, Never seen those before...
The green, flying creatures zipped threw the valley as they flew above the squads position. "Jim, James, Carol, concentrait your fire on the Hoppers!" Ordered Sgt. Hulson.
Mike gripped harder as he unleashed fully onto the oncoming Warrior bug that jolted infront of him. Green gore flew into the air as it's pincers ripped apart, followed by a couple limbs. It's body collapsed, heading into Mike's direction.
Mike quickly rolled out the way, as the powerful jaws of the Warrior bug, slammed down with force ripped a marines ribcage and spilling out his organs across the sandy floor.
Mike starred at the bloody mess, he had the urge to throw up. "Mike!" Yelled Jim over the sound of gunfire and the battle cries of the bugs, "Pick yourself up boy, and shoot!" He ordered.
Mike grinded his teeth, and threw himself back up. He began firing with the rest of the squad. "Hopper! twelve o'clock!" Mike raised his aim, firing quick bursts as the wings of the Hopper popped off, and green guts fell. It maoned as it came crash landing onto the pile of dead bugs.
"You three, move up!" Ordered Sgt. Hulson, as two men including Mike made their way down the hill. The sounds of gunfire and moaning had died down. The smell of the bugs corpse wanted to make Mike throw up, but he held it in.
"I think this ones still alive," Said a marine.
"Well kill it," Replied the other. The marine had a little smirked and fired his rifle at the bug, green guts blew all over the ground.
Another Warrior bug came over the dead corpse as it charged at a fellow marine. "Look out!" Warned Mike as he fired rounds into it's body.
"What th-" The powerful jaws of the bug picked the marine up. The marine was now in his grasp and could be split in half anytime. "Help me!" He cried.
Mike and the other marine, with the help of fellow soldiers fired at the bug. Although they killed the bug, the marine wasn't saved as he was ripped into half.
"Sergeant, what are your orders?" Said Corporal Tim Klark. Tim and Mike had just met for only a split second and got to introduce each other, but never had the time to really talk.
"We fall back to OP Charlie-8, let them know somethings up." He replied.
The whole squad replied with a roaring, "Sir yes sir." Mike was astonished. They'd lost three men but their confidence is still high, while Mike's was low.
Sgt. Hulson walked up to Mike, and starred him into his eyes. His hard, blue, crystal eyes almost sucked the soul out of Mike. "Stal again, and I'll kill you myself, do you get me soldier?"
Mike stood straight with his chest out, "Sir yes sir!" He roared.
"Good," Replied the Sgt. "It's a long walk home boys, move out!"
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"Aim down! Don't let them get through the compound wall!" Rolland shouted as the troops aimed straight down at the bugs below them. Bullets ripped through the bugs armoured tops sending blood spraying up at their faces. Cody looked out across the desert. The bugs covered it, the ones near the back stood still, having no room to mvoe forward.
Cody continued his fire, but when the bug below died, another would move into it's place, standing onto of the dead one. Slowly but surley, the piles started to rise, bringing the bugs from 8 feet down too 6 feet. Rolland looked down and saw them starting to build their way up to the troops.
"Fallback into the compoud! Fallback!" He yelled as he jumped to ground level, his boots slaming onto the metal floor with a clang. Cody turned and jumped with him, the shooting now stopped as the platoon now formed a semi-circle, backs to the building, Moritas pointing out.
The steel wall infront of Cody shuddered and shook as the bugs started ramming it, trying to push their way inside. Cody aimed at the wall, the dents so big he could almost see the bugs outline against the wall. Seconds later, the hole appeard.
Small at first, but by the second blow, a full grown warrior bug came storming through.
"OPEN FIRE!" Rolland yelled as the Razors opened up on the bugs now spewing through the opened wall like a jug pouring water. Cody fired, his Morita's barrel red hot as he emptied his clip. Re-loading, he turned to check their right side.
A troop ran forward, apparently attempting to toss a grenade into the hole. He never saw the warrior bug coming. It slammed into him, grabbing him and tossing him into the air with it's jaws as the lower section of his leg came right off as it tossed him like a rag doll.
His blood arced through the air, staining the dust floor with spatters of cimson as he landed infront of another warrior bug which took no hesitation in stabbing at him furiosuly with it's claws, ripping what was left of him into shreds.
Cody turned back and saw it. The giant beetle, or what he thought resembled a beetle, moving towards them from outside the outpost. He called it out to Rolland.
"Heads up Lt!"
Rolland looked up as he reloaded his Morita. He turned to the Razors. "TANKER! Chris! David! Get it!"
A pair of troops stepped up, each with a nuke launcher on their shoulder. They took a knee before yelling "Fire in the hole!"
The nukes flew from the tubes and headed straight for the Tanker which had closed the gap to only roughly 100 meters, just outside the nuke's blast radius. Rolland called out.
"Cover!"
Cody dove behind a pair of crates behind him as the nuke detonated on their target. The heat wave pased first, then the concussion blast. Cody stood as the dust settled, the warriors at the base and just ooutside lay roasted while the Tankers corpse lay in a smoldering heap.
Rolland called out. "To the pads! Boats coming down!"
Cody ran with the what was left of the platoon, he looked over his shoulder.
Great, looks like about a dzoen left.
Cody ran harder as the the retrival boat appeard in the sky just infront of them. Rolland turned and took a knee while calling out an order. "Cody, James, Bruce cover fire!"
Cody spun and knealt as he opened fire at the warriors closing in behind them. He, and the three with him stood their ground, their bullets slowly dropping the bugs as the platoon boarded the retrival boat.
"Clear!" The pilot yelled as the last platoon memebr cleared the ramp. James and Bruce ran to the boat while Rolland and Cody kept them covered. The bug at the front dropped, buying them enough time to turn and run before the next one in line got into place. Cody was halfway there when he heard Morita fire behind him. He turned.
Rolland stood on his own, Morita flashing as he yelled at Cody. "Sergeant! Go! Get out of here!"
"Sir no sir!" Cody yelled running down to him, Bruce and James in pursuit. James garbbed Cody as Bruce covered him. James talked into Cody's ear.
"Theres no use, we don;t have time!" He said as he pulled Cody onto the ship. Cody threw him off, but the door was already closing, he dropped, peeking out of the small openeing for enough time to see the bugs overwhelm Rolland.
Cody screamed his name untill they docked 5 mintues later.
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The last moan echoed from the Warrior bug as it's lower jaw ripped from it's socket. It stumbled down onto it's belly as it was glittered with lead. "Listen up!" Said Sgt. Hulson, "OP's having some difficulties with the bugs, whad'ya say we lend them a hand?" Questioned the Sgt.
A lone marine interupted, "Hell yeah sir!" Followed by a 'oo-rah' from the rest of the squad.
"Good, let's get some!" He ordered as the remaining squad came down the hills surrounding the OP. A barrage of rounds echoed threw the canyons. The sound of Morita rifles and heavy 0.50cal turrets rumbled on the outpost.
Mike with the help of Corporal Jimmy and Corporal Tim Klark who broke off from the squad and were ordered to supress the bugs as the rest of the squad made way into the OP. Mike fired bursts of rounds as they penetrated the bugs, thick armor.
"Yeah! You like that?" Yelled Tim with excitment. He broke off from the rest as he got closer to the bugs, "Come get some!" He said, taunting the bugs.
"Tim, you're too close!" Yelled Mike, doing his very best to cover Tim. Tim's confidence turned against him as a pincer from a bug speared into his skull, raising him up ten feet into the air.
Mike peeked over his shoulders seeing the rest of the squad safe in the OP. Mike nudged Tim, "Let's get out of here!" He ordered as he finished filling a Warrior bug with lead.
Tim and Mike sprinted with all they had left to the door, Mike spun for a quick second to send a barrage of bullets, slowing the horde of bugs down.
Mike and Tim crawled up onto the flat, platform of the OP. The steel door clamped shut as the bugs began to bang at the secured door.
Mike, gasping for air peaked over to Tim who nodded back to him. "We're just getting started,"
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Cody, the now ranking officer of the Razors, stood alone outside Captain Michigan's officer. He stared into space, concentrating hard as if by his mere thoughts, he could bring his dead Lieutenant. The door hissed open and a small, yet burly man emerged from the officer. Cody snapped to attention.
"Captain sir!"
"Adise Sergeant."
Cody relaxed slightly. Captain Michigan's face seemed to warm as he smiled, the bright lights from above reflecting off his bald head as he stepped aside, motioning for Cody to enter.
Cody strode in, standing behind a comfy looking plush chair, as Michigan sat behind his desk, folding is hands and interlockingh is fingers before placing them infront of him.
"Please sit Sergeant, this is a rather saddening event."
Cody nodded his reply and slowly sat into the chair, the metal frame was cold, although he enjoyed having a decent cushioned seat for a change. He leaned forward towards Michigan.
"Sir, permission to speak freely sir"
Michigan nodded. "Of course Sergeant."
"Thank you sir. I don't understand why I'm here sir. The funeral service is over, the paperwork has been done. The issue is closed."
Michigan nodded. "Yes, I see what you mean."
Cody leaned back a little, folding his arms across his chest. "Then sir, I'll continue to speak just as candid. If the Razors are a dead unit, and everyone is being re-assigned, why have I not recieved any notice about my next unit."
Michigan's eyes seemed to glint in the dim office light. He casualy grabbed himself a cigar from the box on his desk and proceeded to light it, popping it into his mouth.
"Well Sergeant, here's why."
He removed the cigar, and blew smoke as he continued.
"We've captured a Brain on Planet P less than an hour ago. Although other reports have pointed that there is another present on the planet. This was confirmed when Physcics probed the captured Brain and discovered it wasn't working alone."
Cody nodded, partly understanding. "What does that have to do with me sir?"
Michigan placed his cigar at the edge of an ashtray. He pulled out a folder and placed it on the desk between him and Cody. Following this, he placed a small black box on his side of the folder. "Please read the contents Sergeant."
Cody opened the folder, he sacnned the first few pages. "A new unit? You're sending me to a newly formed unit?"
Michigan nodded. Yes, you're paperwork and transfer notice are all there. At the bottom is the paperwork for these." He finished as he pushed the black box across the desk to Cody.
Cody grasped the box and opened it, he felt his heart in his throat. He removed the pair of Lieutenant bars from their velvet casing and held them up, examining them as if unsure of their reality.
"Sir? I..."
Michigan cuth im off. "Yes, I'd like you to lead the new unit. Rolland and I were close friends, when he needed a replacement Sergeant, he personaly asked me for you."
Cody shook his head. "I don't understand sir, Rolland and I never new each other before I joined the Razors."
Michigan nodded. "True, but before you finished basic, Rolland was an officer instructor at you're camp. He noticed you're leadership and judging from how much he mentioned you, you left a sizeable impression."
Cody nodded. "Thank you sir."
Michigana nodded. "Good luck son, unit candidates have been uploaded onto you're personal computer. Please have you're selections made within the next hour."
Cody stood, his new bars now displayed proudly on his collar. He saluted, meaning it. For he slauted not only Michigana, but inside, he saluted Rolland.
He turned on his heel and left for his quarters, he had a unit to build.
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1 year prior....
Ethan Mei-kym was an average student, his math was a little low, science a bit higher than normal, everything ales about him was average. The only thing abnormal is that he has a low level psychic ability. Ethan tried taking the tests at his local recruitment center but he never scored high enough to be recognized.
Ethan always just coasted through life seeming to get lucky most off the time. Sports weren't his thing nor academics. Partying and playing strategy games were he liked. At school he usually never lost, in fact the only people he ever lost to ended up in the upper echelons of the federation. It seemed like he could his opponents next move and then countered before they even new what was going on.
In his recent classes he had been fascinated by the Arachnids, he studied them intensely until one week ago when the started attacking colonists. Ethan began to despise them and then he found a direction in life. It didn't matter where they put him but he was going to join the Federation military.
He had asked Terra out to the senior prom and she had agreed. Today Ethan had gotten dressed up for once in his lifetime and then he picked up Terra from her house. The party was nice he said goodbye to all of his friends. At the end of the night Ethan pulled her aside and presented a ring to her. She screamed and asked him if he really meant it. He said he did.
"You know I know place where we can go to be alone". she said teasingly.
"Well then what are you waiting for, lets go" he said with smirk.
(The following part of the story has been stored in the back of my mind until we get a section for stories we do not have to restrict)
The next morning was hell, some how Ethan's parents had found out.
"Why the hell didn't you even talk with use first Ethan" his dad screamed
"Did you even think of the consequences of what did Ethan" his mom added.
At this point Ethan was pissed, he was 18 now and wasn't going to take any shit from them. He completely ignored them and went to his room. Ethan packed his things and brought them to the front door.
"Where are you going?" his mom asked.
"I'm going to go join the Federation's military mom". he told
"You cant go Ethan what about Terra" his mom said as she began to cry
"Terra,.. is coming with me mom I'll send you a letter sometime mom".
With that Ethan walked out the door and went to Terra's house. When he told her parents what was going on they began to scream and yell. They were extremely pissed. It really pissed them off when he gave them a swift FU and took Terra's things.
His test results came back, Mobile Infantry is where he was going, where as Terra was assigned to Fleet. They promised to keep in touch with each other.
Ethan shipped out a few days later to Fort. Klonklide, he received his uniform and gear and then put his things in the barracks. At lunch he met a guy by the name Blake Jackson. The first day of training was intense, the Drill Sgt was harsh. Every day we ran in the morning, push ups at noon and obstical courses in the afternoon. The only time for rest he got was in the afternoon.
After a few months combat training with stun rounds began. Ethan was designated a squad twos leader. Squad two almost always out performed squad one. After a few weeks the live ammo training began. During one of the exorcises Pvt. Racosky took a few rounds to the neck, resulting in his death.
The soldier responsible was kicked out of the training group. Ethan and Terra were continually mailing each other. She had made pilot status and was on board a cruiser. Ethan was out running when noticed everyone was heading for the large vid screens. He ran over to find out what had happened. The Arachnids had launched a meteor at Buenos Aries and leveled it. The whole city was destroyed, and the federation had declared war.
Everyone that had just finished basic was sent to the Battleship Ticonderoga. Ethan was in the middle of talking to a few of his buddies when he heard a familiar voice.
"Ethan, Ethan Mei-Kym I thought I saw you" A cool female voice said.
Ethan turned to see Terra standing their in her Fleet uniform. He ran over to her and firmly kissed her on the lips. The men and women in his squad hooted at him like a bunch of apes. He started to talk with her about what each of them had been doing when a Fleet officer strode over and started hitting on Terra.
"Hey punk what the hell do you think your doing with my wife" Ethan Growled.
"You married some MI scum Terra." he said.
"Hey back off" he firmly told the officer.
"Hey look well do this man to man no rank involved, everyone hear that rank is not an issue".
Ethan swiftly round house kicked him in the head, the officer fell to the ground. Ethan walked over and was about to stomp on the officers chest when a thought urging him to move sideways dominated his thoughts. The officer kicked but no one was there. Ethan brought his boot down on the officers face braking his nose and jaw ending the fight.
Terra pulled him away and they walked back to her room. They talked for a bit had some drinks and dreamed about the future. (again stored in my mind)
Ethan thought about the fight and how his abilities had only grown during his training, maybe he should apply to Military Intelligence. In a few hours they would be going to the surface of Klendathu. Ethan boarded his drop ship with the rest of the company.
The ride was rough and they reached planet side at night.
"1st platoon 2nd squad on me now." Ethan shouted
They formed up on him and began to search for the bugs. The basic bugs or warriors poured out the surrounding hills and the battle began.
"suppressive fire, get a nuke ready". Ethan ordered
He helped lay down suppressive fire on the bugs as Blake loaded his nuke. Giving him the all clear sign Ethan yelled fire in the whole. Blake pulled the trigger and sent the nuke flying. A large section of the bugs line was demolished but more filled the gap.
The lines started to become overwhelmed by the bugs sheer numbers.
"Sir a general retreat has been ordered sir". A comm specialist yelled out.
"Alright everyone fall back to the boats".
Ethan's senses went wild, he strafed to left just as a large beetle like bug sprayed a line of acid at him. He took a little bit to the outside of his arm and it burned his flesh to the bone before stopping.
He screamed in pain as he ran towards the retrieval boats. A soldier pulled him in just as the boat started to lift off. The immense heat from the acid had melted his dog tags making them unreadable.
The medics on board the Ticonderoga placed him in a restoration tank. He was marked as an unidentified soldier and left there to heal.
Terra checked the casualty reports for the invasion, *Ethan Mei-kym Unit 30-419 MIA*. She burst out in tears and hugged her co-pilot for comfort.
A few days later when he was fully healed he found the once populated battle station deserted down to the normal crew. Ethan Went and got himself a tattoo so that he would always remember his fallen comrades.
The tattoo consisted of an angel in tattered black robes and the words Angel Of Death written on it.
Present day
With his company off somewhere else he was to be reassigned to another unit. While he waited Ethan put in another application to Military Intelligence.
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The doors to Cody's quarters slid open as he strode out. In one hand, he held a cup of coffee, black, three sugar, in the other, a data card with thenew unit. He turned the corner and almost ran smack into a pilot. She wore a different unifrom, probobly from another ship. Cody scanned the patches and tags.
Ticonderoga. Odd, why would she be on board this ship then?
She snapped to attention when she noticed Cody's rank.
"Sir!"
Cody stopped, puzzled, then remebered his recent promotion. "Oh, right, adise ma'am, sorry, new rank, not used to it yet."
She smiled. "Understandable sir."
Cody checked the name tag. It read "T. Mei-kym"
"May I ask why you're on aboard the Pheonix rather than the Ticonderoga?"
She smiled. "Recieved a distress call from one of my units, when we picked them up, we had a few straglers from here. Figured I'd drop them off."
Cody nodded. "Thank you, I'm sure they appreciate it."
She nodded and continued on. Cody kept going around the corner, his coffee slightly colder then before. He entered the lift and punched in his destination. The walls hummed as he shot up to, as the crew dubbed it, the "tech deck". The doors opened.
Cody strode inside, aware of the dozens of eyes that followed him. He sat down across from a plain clothes man sitting behind a desk which held a rather large computer. He placed the data chip on the desk.
The man took it, and after visualy examining it, lid it into his computer. When he did, the holo imgae flickered and showed 45 MI troop records. He nodded and passed it off to another man behind him who, after taking it, dissapeared from sight.
"A new unit huh? Well, looks like it should be a good one. We just need to finish some minor things."
Cody nodded.
The man continued. "We're going to need a name for the unit, and that we have entireley up to you. We have a list of suggestions if you need them."
Cody ignored him. He already new what he was going to call the unit. He new when Michigan had told him he was gonig to make a new one.
He leaned back in his chair. "It's going to be called The Trojans. After the colledge I went to."
The man nodded. "I'd love to accomidate you, but that name has been taken."
Cody nodded. He figured it might be, he had a backup. "Very well, then it'll be the Cobras, after my grav ball team."
The man nodded as he punched in some keys. A pair of dog tags slipped out of the slot. He picked them up. "Your old tags please Lieutenant."
Cody handed him his old tags, taking the new ones and placing them around his neck.
The man nodded. "As of now, you are Lieutenant Cody Shaer of the Cobras."
Cody got up. He needed to get planet side, he had a unit to prep.
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The bugs were every where, Ethan fired his gun but they wouldn't go down. He heard the pounding horrific footsteps behind him, those same gigantic thuds as only a tanker could make. The beetle roared and spewed its acid all over the ground. The acid came into contact with Ethan's feet.
"Aghh it burns" he screamed.
The acid slowly consumed him until it was up to his neck. Ethan sat up in a cold sweat, heart pounding, he felt his arm and the scar from the battle. It had only been a nightmare, then again life was a nightmare. Military Intelligence had rejected him again and he hadn't been able to get in touch with Terra.
It was 3:30am Standard Federal Time, he was still in the med bay under psych watch. The screams of the other wounded filled his nights with dread. Ethan would be happy when he could leave that awful place.
He layed back down and tried to sleep for in the morning he would be medically cleared and put back into active duty.
That morning the first thing he did was go to Terra's quarters, unfortunitly she was out. Ethan went back to the MI quarters, they were empty. He surmised that everyone was on board one of the ships being sent to a bug planet. While he was in the barracks he made a vid disc for Terra.
Putting on a fresh uniform he went down the mess hall for breakfast. It was the different today because most people were off station. They cooks had made pancakes, sausage, bacon, and array of fruits along with fresh orange juice.
After having breakfast Ethan went to the shuttle bay to be transported to another ship. He stepped into the shuttle and the pilot told him to take a seat. He strapped in and then waited for the shuttle to leave. The pilot gunned it and went excessively fast.
"Damn rookie pilots" Ethan said under his breath.
Ethan saw the mighty ship from the shuttles view screen. Looking at his transfer papers Ethan found the name of the ship, The Phoenix . He was still upset that he didn't get to see Terra before being sent out into the field again.
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Cody stepped out of the Dropships doors and onto the hot surface of Planet P. He nodded to a pair of guards as he strode off the Helipad and towards the center of their temporary ground HQ. He noticed a pair of soliders look up from some papers and get up from the table, moving towards him.
Cody looked them over, one was fairly big, toned, darker skin. The other was more evenly shaped with a rather disturbingly white skin. They stopped infront of him and saluted. Cody noticed the Medical cross on the whiter of the two.
The bigger of the two spoke for them both. "Sir! Sergeant Guerra and Specialist Oriley reporting for duty!"
Cody saluted. "Adise soliders, I'm Lieutenant Shaer, I take it you got my message."
They nodded. Guerra spoke, Cody noticed the accent that went well with his dark skin. "Yes sir, ready and waiting for your orders. We assembled the platoon in the weapons locker 54A. They're awaiting your arrival."
Cody nodded. He had found out about Guerra through Rollands SCV. Apparently, Guerra had declined a promotion to a Colonel just to stay in the fight. He turned to Oriley. "You're medical record is impressive, It's good knowing you're with us."
Oriley nodded. Cody understodd the gesture. Oriley didn't like talking, but he was a hell of a medic, once preforming sugery during an escape from Klendathu. He managed to save the soliders life. It was the only recorded surgery to be done in a Retrival Boat.
"We'll show you the way sir."
Cody nodded as he followed his new Sergeant and Platoon Medic towards where the rest of the platoon waited. He noticed a group of troops moving off towards the mountains when he heard the roar.
"Officer on deck!"
Cody looked back to see his platoon moving out of the building and assembling infront of him expertly as if it had been done a thousand times. Cody smiled.
With Guerra here they probobly did practice it a thousand times if he is how his SCV reads.
Cody stopped two feet from the front row. He noticed Coporal James Main off to the right wearing his radio pack. He looked amazed to see Cody at the front. At the back he also noticed the other two medics he'd requested, Kelsey and Lexy, both, by the looks of it, trying to remember where they'd seen him before.
He cleared his throat and started to talk.
"Listen up, this is a new unit, everyone here however, is not new. You've all faught the bugs before. Some on Klendathu, some in other places. Some on both worlds. Everyone has lost someone, everyone. Even myself. I expect everything from you. You've give it all you got every fight. If you don't do you're job, I'll personaly kill you. Do you get me!"
The chorus of voices was intensifying as the platoon answered. "We get you sir!"
Cody nodded as he overlooked his platoon.
"Welcome to the Cobras."
Guerra stepped up beside Cody, his voice loud and clear. "Cody's Cobras!"
Cody looked at him, Guerra smiled as the platoon called back the honored greeting on the Mobile Infantry. "Ho!"
Cody looked back at them. He donned his helmet and grabbed his Morita Rifle, his carbine ditched back in the ships armoury.
"We've got a distress call from a unit at an outpost. We're pulling them out. Saddle Up!"
The platoon moved as if they had been shocked. Everyone grabbed their rifles and helmets while the medics loaded their equipment onboard. Cody turned to Guerra as Oriley moved to help his assitants Lexy and Kelsey.
"It's outpost Charlie-8. They're under heavy attack and need medical evacs. We're going in to evac the wounded and support the troops there untill a second ship can pick us up."
Guerra nodded. "Lt. I heard you new Rolland."
Cody nodded. "Yes, I did."
Guerra's eyes watered briefly but with a quick blink they resumed to their normal dark stare. "Then let's get some for him."
Cody nodded as he started towards the dropship. He was thankful none of his troops saw the tear he wiped from his cheek.
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"Secure this outpost, retreival boat's on its way, ETA ten!" Shouted Sergeant. Hulson. Mike sprinted up the ramp, giving him a good view of the desert where all the bugs were at.
Mike placed his Morita rifle on the edge of the steel wall, acting out as a bipod. He fired burst rounds ripping the bugs to shread, "Tanker!" Shouted a marine in the distance. Mike spun his head around to see a large beatle-like creature stomping it's way towards the outpost.
"Oh, my God." Mike said under his breath.
"Well what are you waiting for? Nuke it!" Ordered the Lt.
Mike dropped down from the platform, and guided his way to the armory. Followed by Tim they grabbed a nuke launcer and sprinted back into their previous position.
Tim took the nuke round and placed it into it's slot, he double tapped Mike on the head giving him a thumbs up. "Fire in the hole!" Mike yelled as the squeezed the trigger.
The nuclear war head spiraled in the air as it smacked into the Tankers head. A large explosion followed by a fireworks show of Tanker pieces spit into the air.
Mike grasped onto his Morita rifle again and began firing, killing any bug that dare jumped up at him. The piles began to build, the bugs were rising, getting closer and closer to Mike and his comrades. "Everyone back to the center!" Ordered the LT.
Mike and Tim jumped down on ground zero and began covering the remaining marines that had to get down. Two Hoppers came spiraling down out of no where, Mike fired his Morita and limbs began breaking off, "LT!" Yelled Tim as a Hopper came around, slicing his head off.
Mike's eyes widen, with disbeleif that his Lieutenant had been killed, he shook his head and placed it in the back of his mind and began firing.
A thunderous roar echoed down the area as Mike looked into the sky, a ship was inbound and it was help.
"Clear the zone! Support is here!" Yelled Sgt. Hulson.
The bugs crawled, Mike was unsure weather this support would help or not.
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Cody checked the display on the wall. It showed they were just entering the planets atmosphere. He saw the light go green and his harness released along with the rest of the platoon's. He stood while everyone remained seated for their pre-mission briefing.
Cody looked over the platoon. Each man and woman carried a heavy Morita rifle, a couple with scopes. He storde to the center of them, in between the rows of seats.
"Alright everyone listen up. First Squad!
"Sir!"
"You are to secure the LZ!"
"Sir yes sir!"
"Second squad!"
"Sir!"
"You are to assist in loading the injured, provide cover and get them on safely."
"Sir yes sir!"
"Sqauds three and four!"
"Sir!"
"You are to assist in perimeter defence, buy us time to get the wounded out!"
"Sir yes sir!"
"This is a rescue operation, anything with more than two legs, destory it! Do you get me!"
"We get you sir!"
Cody turned to the doors as the platoon stood behind him. He cheked the lights beside the door. They flashed yellow.
"Alright troopers, on the bounce!"
The door slammed into the ground as it opened.
Cody stormed out first, his Morita firing as he moved to help the soldiers holding off. He stood beside a trooper as he helped take down a warrior bug.
"Who's in charge soldier!"
The solider looked somewhat nervous, but he answered clearly.
"Sergeant Hulson sir, he's over there!" He said pointing towards the man firing a pair of Morita's doing the work of four men. Cody ran to help him.
"I heard you needed some help Sergeant? Bug problems?"
Sergeant Hulson laughed as he dropped an empty Morita and reloaded. "Hell yeah sir, thanks for the help!"
Cody nodded as he fired, the hopper flying in shuddering as the heavy Morita rounds ripped chunks of it out. Finaly, it spasamed and fell outside the outpost, green gore trailing behind it.
After a good 10 minutes of fighting, the bugs seemed to pull back, as if aware that they would have to amass more numbers to take the now reinforced outpost. Cody lowered his rifle and held out his hand to Hulson.
"Lieutenant Cody Shaer of the Cobras."
Hulson nodded. "You're here to get us?"
Cody shook his head. "Just the wounded. Fleet is having some trouble, seems every outpost is under attack. Bugs tricked us. We're getting your wounded out first, then we get to play with these things untill they can send a boat for us."
Hulson nodded. "Great, they have Medics on the ship?"
Cody nodded. "Yes, my Medics will stay here for us. Sort you're men out, find out who can stay and who needs to go. We'll secure the outer walls for now. When you're good, let me know, we'l figure the rest out."
Hulson slauted. "Yes sir. Thank you."
Cody nodded as he called to his men. "Cobras! Secure the perimeter, outwalls only, leave the towers."
"Yes sir!" They called out as the ran up the ramps to the top of the walls. Cody was vividly reminded of the last outpost he was at. He looked over to see The last of the wounded loaded onto the boat. A few looked dead.
Sergeant Hulson ran to Cody. "Sir, I've got about 20 able bodied troops left."
Cody nodded. "Have them get ito the towers, any left over, get them on the walls with my men. The bug will be back."
Hulson nodded and began to bark orders to his men. Guerra and James ran to Cody. "Sir, perimeter secure, we're ready."
Cody nodded. They were the command unit, along with the Medics and Corporal Matt Eversman who joined them seconds after. He motioned for them to enter the main building.
The smell hit Cody, the same as the last outpost. He sent James to the com consle with Matt while he motioned for Guerra to check the wepaons room. He waited a full minute before they returned.
"Same as the last outpost sir. Communication that brought Hulson and his men down was a fake." James finished, he was slightly pale. Cody didn't want to know what happened to the COM officer who lay dead by the consle.
Guerra came panting in. He had apparently been doing some lifting. "We got a few nukes, loads of ammo, a few extra rifles sir." He finished as he bent down for air.
"You good trooper?" Cody asked.
"Yes sir," Guerra answered. "Had to bash the door open."
Cody nodded as Hulson and a couple troopers entered.
"Lieutenant we got bugs inbound."
Cody nodded. "Let's move."
The group ran out of the building and headed up the ramps towards the walls. Cody looked over the wall and saw them. More than the last fight he was in although this time, he wasn't afraid. He was angry.
Angry for Rolland, angry for those who died in Bueno Aries, angry at the bugs for existing. He looked to see a young soldier turning to thorw up. He grabbed him, perhaps to hard. The man looked slightly spooked at his agression. Cody ignored it and held face.
"What's your name solider?"
"Bitansky sir, Michael Bitansky."
Cody nodded.
"Well Bitansky, suck it up and hold it in, you've got a lot of men looking up at you right now, you survived the first attack. A lot of people are scared. You just hold it in and fight, you get me."
"Yes sir, thank you sir."
Cody nodded and let go of Michael's shoulder. He turned to the desert outside the outpost which crawled with bugs.
"Fire at will!"
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Mike wipped his mouth clean and shouldered his rifle, "Come get some!" He yelled. The adrenaline rush kicked in as he hopped around, changing his direction to kill another bug.
This first wave was small, maybe a little too small Mike thought, there had to be around two hundred bugs if not less. A swarm of Hoppers came swinging over the cliffs, "Mike, Hoppers are back for some more!" Annocuned Tim as he began firing at their green bodies. Mike changed his view and focused on the Hoppers.
Chunk after chunk ripped off as the Hopper screeched crashing down into a trio of Warrior bugs. "Hell Yeah!" Yelled Mike. A metal object touched the back of Mike, he spun around to get a look.
"Marine, you and that corporal with me, we need to assist the left!" Announced Cody.
Mike nudged time and motioned his head to the direction he was told to go, Tim replied with a nod and they followed behind Cody. The last bug stood strong but was put down instantly as sixty-one soldiers fired at it, chewing it down to dust.
"Casualties!" Asked Cody, yelling out so he could be heard,
"None!" Replied an anonoymous marine.
"Cobra's, prepare for another wave!" Announced Cody.
The platoon of men and woman replied back with a, "Sir yes sir!" That echoed through-out the outpost.
Mike jammed in another clip and cocked back his bolt, he wasn't nervous anymore, he wasn't scared, if anything, he was ready.
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Cody re-checked the perimeter, it was good. The trio of towers loomed behind him, each boasting a pair of .50 cal turrets which could rip bugs up by the dozens when they were in action. Cody called to the Cobras.
"Ammo check!"
"Clear!" Came the response.
Good, we got loads of ammo, we're going to need it.
Cody looked back out over the sands. He though he saw movement, but after checking again, he accepted it was merely a heat mirage. He felt someone tap his shoulder. Cody turned.
James stood, slightly hunched as he held out the radio reciever to Cody. Pheonix on the horn sir."
Cody grabbed the radio. "This is Lieutenant Shaer."
"Lieutenant, be advised, there are no boats for retrival, say again, retrival is a no go. You're going to have to camp it out untill morning, over."
Cody swore. "Fuck no! Get a ship down here!"
"Negative, hang tight, Pheonix out."
Cody handed the reciever back to James. He called to the troops.
"Listen up! Retrival isn't coming untill morning, we're camping it out."
The troops nodded. A few looked down. Hulson looked grim. Cody realized how bad it must sound. He continued.
"I know this sounds bad. I'll be flat honest we're fucked out here, which is why we're going to keep fighting. We're all not going home in the end. What you do now, in this fight determins if you're brother in arms next to you is going home. Don't fight for yourself today, fight for those around you."
The troops roared back. "Ho!"
The bugs screeched as hundreds, possibly thousands poured over the hills in the distance. Cody cocked his Morita and aimed towards the advancing bugs.
He called out as he aimed at the lead bug. "Live forever apes!"
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Mike let a weak smirk of vengance as he fired his Morita rifle. The deadly 7.62mm rounds pierced the desert sand as they followed up on the bugs. One by one the bugs collapsed, moaning in defeat.
Just as Mike planned, more Hoppers came pouring over the cliffs, choosing their prey. Mike looked over to Sgt. Hulson who just taunted at the bugs and fired, not willing to accept command of what Platoon we had left.
"First squad, concentrait your fire on the Hoppers! Second squad remain on the Warriors," Mike Orderded. He glarred to his right, expecting a remark from Sgt.Hulson. Eye and eye with his Sgt, Hulson nodded.
A trio of Hoppers came swooping in, attempting to slice the head off of marines. Mike lifted his rifle, firing at the Hopper. Green guts spewed into the air as the green beast lost balance and came spiraling down towards the marines.
"Sir, get down!" Mike warned as he tackled Lt. Cody Shaer to the ground. The Hopper just missed their heads as it crashed into the center of the outpost. Mike picked himself up, lending a hand to Cody, which he accept.
"What are you doing standing there, kill some bugs!" Cody ordered with a smirk on his face,
"On it!"
"Tankers inbound!" Warned a marine on the turret. Mike spotted four large, black creatures far back in the canyons.
"Mike, Tim, James, Nuke 'em!" Ordered Cody as the three soldiers picked up nuke launchers and loaded them.
"Nuke one, mark!" Screamed James as the nuke pushed out of the launcher and planted right into the gut of one Tanker. The explosion sent orange goo across the canyon, but it didn't stop the remaining Tankers from marching.
"Nuke two, mark!" Said Tim as the second nuke launched.
"Nuke three, mark!" Warned Mike as pulled the trigger.
"Lt, one Tanker stands, we need more nukes!" Complained James. Cody looked at him in shock, then to Mike,
"Private, how many nukes left?"
"None sir" Mike Replied. Cody looked back at the messy battlefield, his eyes widen. Thousands of bugs let out battle cries as they aloud the Tanker to stomp threw.
"We need back-up," Said Corporal Tim. Cody looked at him and cocked his eyebrow,
"Son, we are the back-up."
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Ethan looked through the shuttles front view port at the ship ahead of him. The Phoenix, was a normal sized ship but it gleamed in the sun with a new look about it.
Stepping off into the hanger he saw various troops boarding drop ships to go to the planets surface. Ethan located the man directing everyone and asked where he was going.
"No where is where your going son". the man said
"What do you meen sir".
"Your on standby for reinforcements".
After visiting the barracks Ethan went for a walk around the ship. He came upon the media center. The room had various spots for making vid disks along with a large screened computer for watching news reports. There was only one thing Ethan wanted to see for sure, the casualty report for Klendathu. He searched out the names of his squad members one by one and one by one he confirmed them all to be KIA.
Wait what was that, noticing something weird he scrolled back up the list. *Ethan Mei-Kym Unit 30-419 MIA*. He instinctively looked at his dog tags and then remembered he didn't have any. Terra, she doesn't know I'm alive.
All of these thoughts made him angry because there was nothing he could about it. Too calm down Ethan headed for the gym. On the way there he passed the med bay. Not many but a few people were in their recovering from Klendathu. Continuing down the hall he came to the gym. He exorcised for for about two hours before going to lunch.
At lunch he got to the same standard military mush that everyone gets. There met a lot of the other soldiers on standby. Almost all of them were green, fresh outta boot camp.Once they found out he was on Klendathu none of them would stop asking him questions about it. Not ready to talk Ethan sat alone at an empty table.
After lunch he went for another walk, lost in his own thoughts and not paying attention to where he was going Ethan walked straight into some one. The female officer from Fleet that he had run into dropped all of her papers.
Realizing he had walked right into an officer Ethan quickly snapped to attention.
"Sorry, it was my fault Ma'am" he quickly said with a salute.
"Its alright just help me with these papers" she said in a forgiving tone.
Ethan began picking up the papers, when he had finished picking them up he handed them to her. Instantly dropping them again she rapped her arms around him and kissed him.
"Oh God Ethan I thought you were dead" She said with tears flowing.
He looked at her realized who it was and just hugged her.
"It's alright now Terra I'm fine".
"When I saw the list and your whole squad was gone I thought the worst".
"After the battle I spent 5 days inside a tank while the patched me up, I got lucky because my arm was able to be salvaged."
They went back to her temporary room on The Phoenix and Terra filled him in on what had been happening. Most of it was bad but the good news was that she had received full pilot status and the rank of Lt..
They were passing by one of the hangars when the dock officer told her that she would be taking the next available boat down to the planet for retrieval. Terra went to the nearest armory while Ethan went back to the barracks after suiting up the both returned to the hangar. Terra's co-pilot was also there, Terra gleefully told him that her husband was still alive. A slight look of disappointment flashed across his face before telling her that was wonderful.
This made Ethan a little angry but he kept it under control. It was now around 8:30pm and they were being sent in to get these guys a little early. It was good that they would be getting there early but it was bad that the only reason we could is that some out posts had been completely over run by the time the boats had gotten there.
The three of them climbed in, Terra and her co-pilot Frank in the front while Ethan sat in the back ready to give assistance to the troopers. The swiftly powered up the boat and left The Phoenix to go down to the planet.
"This Lt. Mei-kym of The Phoenix to Lt. Shaer we are running ahead of schedual and are en route to get you guys out of there, do you copy".
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Cody ducked as another hopper bug dove down upon the outpost. As it flew over, a dozen troopers fired putting the bug down inside the outpost, it's front shredded from the Moritas. Cody turned to see the tanker now a hundered or so yards from the outpost. He yelled to the towers.
"Towers! Concentrate fire on the tanker!"
The heavy caliber turrets turned, each man finding his mark before pushing the trigger. The steady pouring rounds from the six turrets started ripping away at the tanker's head, great chunks of flesh flew off as James primed and tossed a grenade to Cody.
Cody caught it, snapped back and hurled it towards the tanker. The grenade spiraled through the air and landed in the tanker's opening mouth. The explosion followed seconds after.
As if someone had pumped to much air into it's skull, the tanker's head exploaded with the force of a baloon being popped, the orangey blood inside flying out as the great beast collapsed with a sigh as the troopers cheered. Cody yeled them out.
"Shut it apes! We still got bugs to deal with!"
The troopers resumed thier ifre of the warriors advancing on them. For Cody, it seemed like time had slowed to a crawl. The steady beat of the rifles, the empty casings falling from the breech, the clack on new magazines in the reciever, and the screeching of the horrors outside the walls.
Cody's com washed with static briefly and then a signal came through.
"This Lt. Mei-kym of The Phoenix to Lt. Shaer we are running ahead of schedual and are en route to get you guys out of there, do you copy".
Cody almost laughed.
Looks like the fly boys were actually doing something for a change. Stupid fucking pilots.
"This is Lieutenant Shaer, confirm, you're clear for landing at base, out."
Cody yelled to the men as he resumed firing. "Boat's coming down!"
"Hell yea sir!" Guerra grunted as he tossed a grenade into the sea of warrior bugs outside the wall.
Cody looked up and saw the ship on the horizon, plastered against the setting sun as if in a movie. Then he saw the plasma. Judging from the ammount, he figured a half dozen plasma bugs were nestled in the mountains. They fired volley after volley at the ship.
The first few missed, the pilot was good, Cody gave them that. They rolled and dived missing plasma by mere feet untill it rolled and conected with a burst. The ship tumbled down and dissapeared into the mountains with a bang that echoed throughout the canyon and anounced that retrival was not coming anytime soon.
Guerra swore. "Fuck."
Cody snapped at him. "You're a leader, example trooper!"
Guerra nodded. "Fuck sir."
Cody couldn't help but laugh as he fired alongside the troops who would now have to hump it out for the entire night.
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Mike began taunting the bugs, saying things under his breath after he killed each bug. He had seen what happend, the retreival boat being shot down played over and over again in his mind. He paused his firing and came towards Lieutenant Cody Shaer.
"Sir, with all do respect, our ammunition is running low, and the bugs are coming by the hundred, give me some men and we'll head to the retreival boat and see if it can still fly, it might not be down after all." Mike said, hoping for a positive response.
Cody stood strong, and placed his rifle over his shoulder, pretending as if thousands of bugs weren't trying to rip him to shreads, "How do I know you're not just going to run? And flee like most of those out of bootcamp do?" Cody couldn't hold his smirk in, "Stupid kids," He said as he continued shooting.
"Sir, Guerra can come with me, along with Tim and some of your other men. Remember sir, no one gets left behind."
Cody laughed out loud and placed a hand on Mike's shoulder, gripping hard. "How fast can you run?"
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"I played Half Back for Miami State sir."
Cody laughed. "What year?"
Mike looked taken aback that Cody was asing him about his football while hundreds of angry bugs were attempting to kill him.
"In 2035 sir."
Cody nodded. "I was the MLB that got kicked out when you played USC in playoffs."
Mike laughed. "No shit."
Cody's face seemed to melt back into it's stone features. "Alright then, Guerra! Eversman! Step up!"
Cody turned to see Guerra and Matt running over to them. He tapped Oriley on the shoulder, who turned around to face them.
"Guerra, you're going out to get the pilots and supplies. Bitansky is gonig with you. Be quick, I'll rpovie a distraction."
They nodded. Cody placed his hands on Guerra and Mike's shoulders, letting his rifle fall and catching in it's sling. "Live forever apes."
"Ho!"
Cody turned and looked around the base for something, when he found it, he turned to Hulson.
"Hulson! Keep up the fire while I'm gone."
Hulson nodded, not moving from his firing position.
Cody ran to the corner of the outpost where he'd found his distraction. He righted the upturned 2 man buggy for scouting ops and sat in the driver seat. He checked the engine, it started.
He peeled off towards a ramp heading up to the wall catwalk at incredible speed. He swerved, just avoiding a trooper as he hit the base of the tower and was propelled into the air.
He almost fell out as he landed on a warrior bug, but his biotic arm had frim grip on the steering wheel. He spun, blowing up dust as he raced away from the scene, a good half of the bugs turning and persuing him. He fired his Morita one handed as he looked over his shoulder.
He saw Guerra and the others moving towards the mountain. Cody swung the cart around and faced the hundreds of bugs now tearing towards him.
Fuck I'm insane.
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As the boat neared the outpost bug plasma filled the sky. Terra did a great job of avoiding the plasma but she was only human. The edge of some plasma skimmed the left wing. The EM waves given of by the plasma short circuited the ships wiring to the engines.
"Hold on were going down". Frank said.
Ethan strapped in prepped for the crash landing. They made a fairly clean landing except for some slight damage to the left side of the ship. The ship would be able to fly again but they would have to get power running again to do so.
"Terra how long will it take to get us air born". Ethan asked
"well if If I switch the main fuse out and the EM waves subside quickly then we could be out of here in 30 minutes". she said
"Well than we better hope the bugs think were dead". Frank added.
Ethan took his things and went up the side of a hill to get a better vantage point so he could spot bugs and warn them to hide. If they could fool the bugs into thinking no one was here than they might stay away but if they started to attack the boat he would have to kill them.
It was getting dark and harder to see, about 18 minutes had gone by without interruption.
"How much longer until we can get out of here" Ethan asked?
"About ten more minutes". Terra responded.
Power had been restored but the nav system and the radio was still screwed up.
"Shit!" Frank yelled.
Frank had just finished examining the outside and had been assessing the numeras dents and scrapes on the exterior.
"Whats wrong" Terra asked him
"Its going to be an extremely rough ride getting through the atmosphere, I'm not sure the ship will hold together."
"Well its that or become bug food" Ethan yelled.
Ethan noticed a figure of in the distance,
"Hey guys get ready to hide I think I see a bug coming our way.
As the figure approached it's outline broke into several. They figures coming their way appeared to be human.
What the hell are they doing out here
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Mike made it high up the mountain, the bugs didn't notice him, Guerra, nore Matt. Mike took a good glimpse behind him, seeing Cody ripping threw the desert sand, taking down one bug at a time, and the rest of the platoon, pelting down the bugs as they moaned with pitty.
Mike wipped the sweat dripping near his lips, "Let's move, boats just one kilometer north,"
Guerra stood infront of Mike, "Eh, I make the rules okay kid?" Mike didn't dare to argue with such a big guy like Guerra. Mike shrugged his shoulders,
"Fine by me....Sir." He said. Guerra smiled,
"Now, let's move!" They began climbing the hot, sandy rocks. The heat rising above the desert floor. Moments later, Mike and his fellow teammates saw smoke gathering up not too far,
"That's them," Said Mike,
"What you waiting for? Get a move on!" Ordered Guerra as he shuved Mike up. Mike just let a smirk on his face and moved up.
Their journy was put to a hault as a Warrior bug crawled into their path, "Fire!" Ordered Matt as the three men fired their Morita rifles.
The bastard was overwhelmed with steal rounds as they ripped it's skin to shreads. They sprinted towards the crash site.
When they got there, they saw three humans, by the looks of from Mike's view, one was wounded and suffered plasma burn. "Are you guys okay?" Mike said, viewing the wound.
"We were sent here to retreiv you and your men, but unfortunately we were struck down," Replied a man. "By the way, my name is Ethan." Ethan went up to shake a hand.
Mike slapped it away, "What the hell is the matter with you boy? I don't know what lancy, dancy food fleets been feeding you, but you're with the marines now, this aint no reunion, get your ass up, we move now!" Mike said
"Excuse me Private, but I beleive I outrank you," Ethan replied, Mike grasped his collar and picked him off his feet.
"Listen to me fleet boy, up there you make the rules, down here I make the rules," Mike said. Rage filled his mind, knowing that his men are dying, and a brave Lt, Cody Shaer is sacraficing his life to save these pathetic fleet boys.
Guerra giggled, "You actually got a bit of man in you kid." He said, patting Mike on the back.
Mike starred at the wounded pilot, "You two carry him back, we'll cover you."
"Wait! What if we can fix this?" Replied the female whom was attending the wounded man. Mike glimpsed at the retreival boat, looks like it was just at the dump.
"Be my guess sweetheart, but don't cry to fleet marshall when your ass is left here to be fried,"
Ethan looked at her, "He's right, we should just go with them,"
He marched over the boat and took out two Morita Carbins, "This is all we have to help you guys, no aummintion or anything, we used to rest of the water to help our friend here."
Mike nodded, "Follow behind us and don't piss me off," Guerra laughed in the background, and Matt giggled after that.
"Ah, fly boys." Said Guerra patting Ethan on the back, "Let's move!"
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Cody was having a rather grand time in his buggy. He swerved around and fired his Morita, ripping open a warrior and expousing it's insides. He paused quickly to fire his shotgun under the barrel which blew the bug in half. He was in the process of turning when it hit him.
His buggy went flipping into the air away from the outpost while Cody landed 2 feet from the wall, and in the middle of a pair of warrior bugs. Cody spun and rolled as one missed him with it's claws. He jumped up, firing his shotgun blowing piece after piece of the bug away.
He ducked as one attepted to take his head off. Rolling towards it, he pushed up his robotic arm, the metal deflecting the warriors claw, but not the force of the hit. Cody flew back and slammed into the outpost wall. Cody reached for his Morita but it was too far from him.
This is it.
Turret fire peppered the ground infront of him, ripping the warrior into ribbons as the ramp opened and Hulson appeared holding out a hand. Cody scrambled for his Morita and ran to open door. Hulson's eyes buldged with fear as he stepped out, pushing Cody aside.
Cody rolled and turned in time to see Hulson take the blunt of a warrios charge, the jaws of the thing ripping Hulson's legs clean off. Cody ran into the outpost as the warrior turned on Hulson. Cody ran up the ramp. He called to the trooper to his right who had a Scoped Morita.
"Trooper! You're weapon!"
The trooper nodded and tossed Cody his weapon. Cody shouldered the rifle, zooming in on Hulson who struggled to move as the warrior, the last bug in view, seemed to toy with him. Cody sighted Hulson's heart and squeezed the trigger.
He threw the rifle back to the trooper while other loked on. Cody yelled out. "Cobras! I'd expect anyone in this unit to do the same for me!"
Silence.
Cody called out for a member of Hulson's team to step forward. No one did. He tried again, no answer. He looked out and noticed that a dozen or so bodies litred the ramps and wall catwalks. He bowed his head. The steady banging on the main door brought him back to his senses.
"Open that door!" Cody barked as a pair of troopers ran to lower the ramp. As the ramp slammed down, Mike came charging in, followed by Guerra, James, and a pair of people, one of which, Cody recognized. Lexy and Kelsey moved to take the wounded man from them. Mike ran to him.
"Sir! We got them."
Cody nodded. "I can see, great work."
Guerra patted Mike's back. "We got a leader in the making here sir." He said as he tapped his Sergeant bars. With that, Guerra turned with James and moved to check on thier platoon mates.
Cody nodded. "Very good work, listen, I've got some bad news for you son."
Mike cocked his head.
"Sergeant Hulson, is, well, he didn't make it."
Mike nodded solemly, his eyes however, seemed to burn with hatred, the hatred Cody recognized as the hatred that had filled him when Rolland died.
Cody put a hand on Mike's shoulder. "With Hulson gone, we're down a Sergeant. You're it, untill you're dead or I find someone better."
Mike nodded and said "Yes sir." before moving towards the walls.
The pilot saluted.
"Sir Lt..."
Cody cut her off.
"Lt. Mei-kym, come to pick up more people from other ships."
She smiled. "Good to see you to sir."
Cody nodded as the other man stepped forward, slightly between Cody and the pilot.
"I'm Private Ethan Mei-kym sir." He said saluting.
Cody nodded. "More fleet eh? Figured they'd send another pilot just incase the first one broke a nail?"
Ethan's face turned slightly red. "Sir, I am MI to infrom you, and the comment about Terra was..."
Cody cut him off. "Very well the, not sure why an MI troop is flying around with his wife, but I don't make those calls. When you're here though, you're under my command. Grab a rifle from the armoury and some ammo. Both of you are considered MI now."
Ethan nodded and led Terra away.
Cody shook his head.
Damn fleet.
Cody turned and walked up the ramps just as the sun dissapeared and the floodl ihts snapped on, encasing the outpost and the sand around it in a bright flourescent glow. Cody ordered the platoon to find a place for sack time. He and Guerra would take first watch.
Going to be a long night.
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Ethan was in a fairly pissed mood and he was ready to kill something. One comment he might have just snapped. The dark brought on a different feeling. One of sorrow, the image from that night was still burned into his brain.
Having to watch his squad burn while he in his own pain unable to do anything. Sleeping was difficult now, every night was that horrid night on Klendathu. It didn't matter where he was, it was always that one moment in time at night.
Terra tried to comfort him but eventually she became to tired to stay awake. Ethan sat there trying not to think about it, he did pass into sleep after a while. He was sleeping smoothly when he heard gunfire. He grabbed his Morita and stepped outside the tent.
The out post was gone and the scene was dominated by bugs and troopers fighting it out. Then that haunting sound filled his ears, he turned around to see a tanker. It reared up to spew some plasma on a few marines.
Ethan saw them, his squad,
"Blake run, get out of the way". he screamed.
Ethan pulled the trigger on his gun but nothing happened. The acid hit them and Ethan could only watch as they burned.
"Blake.........
He woke up in a cold sweat, Ethan unzipped his tent and stepped outside into the dark. With only his undershirt on Ethan's tattoo was clearly viable. Ethan grabbed his Morita and went to the outpost wall. He ran into Lt. Shaer and a glint caught his eye.
"Sir did you lose your arm on Klendathu"? He asked
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About an hour into the watch, Cody had told Guerra to grab some sleep. Cody figured if the bugs had wanted to attack again, they would have by now. He heard someone yelling from one of the tents they had set up.
Figures. Not many people sleep well anymore.
Cody continued on, checking everything he could see. The flood lights at the back had been dimmed to help everyone sleep. Only the ones by the wall were kept on full. Cody was glad for that.
He heard footsteps moving on the outpost floor and found himself face to face with Ethan. He expected Ethan to start on about going to retrieve the ship or starting on about earlier. His question was unexpeced when he asked it.
"Sir, did you lose you're arm on Klendathu?"
Cody shook his head.
"Unrelated accident."
Etha cocked his head.
"Sir, you're SCV reads you were injured in Klendathu, was it you're arm."
Cody shook is head again. "I said it was unrelated solider."
Ethan nodded, finaly understanding it was an issue not to be pushed. He stood next to Cody outlooking the sands. Cody spoke first.
"Ever been in action before?"
"Yeah, Klendathu."
"Is that it?"
"Yes sir."
Cody looked out into the ocean of darkness beyond the flood light's projection. He saw movement. He grabbed a pair of bionculars from beside him and looked out, the night vision on. He froze.
Easily a thousand bugs tore towards them through the darkness, thier calls huanitng, as if they merley mocked him. He garbbed his rifle and fired into the air while yelling.
"Cobras! We got bugs! Let's go let's go! Come on you apes, you want to live forever?" He called as people started moving out of thier tents and running to the ramps.
Cody saw Sergeant Bitansky barking for men to get into the towers. Cody smiled.
He'll make Lt. one day.
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Mike charged up the ramp, unable to sleep, the fear of something creeping on him just haunted, and shivered down his spine. Mike hurried to his post, "Soldier, your uh, uniform," Said Cody. Mike peaked down, seeing himself wearing a white muscle shirt and black boxers while weilding his Morita rifle,
"Sir, I-" Mike was interupted was screechs echoed over the cliffs, dozens of Hoppers spewed over, "No time to explain, kill 'em all!" Mike replied firing dozens of rounds, ripping the Hoppers to shreads and pieces.
Mike held a tighter grip as he tore apart a Hopper that attempted to dive down on his brothers. Mike couldn't help but notice the fly boy next to him, "Hey, fly boy, you got some pretty good aim, where'd you learn to shoot like that?"
Ethan, or known as fly boy giggled, still keeping a steady firing rate, "I'm MI!" He said, yelling over the sound of gunfire.
"Haha, hell no!" Mike said with excitment, "Well, welcome to the party!" Ethan nodded,
"One down!" He yelled,
"Wanna play that game eh?" Mike said, "Three down," He counted ripping apart a trio of Warriors. In the far back corner Mike heard someone yelling, "Five!" Followed by, "Ten!"
Cody looked over his shoulder, noticing all the marines playing along in the game, he let a small smirk, "Four hundred!" He yelled with a bit of laughter.
The rest of the platoon laughed, counting up their kills, the bug piles got larger, and taller, making it easier for the bugs to climb up and pinch at them, "Oh, hell no!" Said Guerra as he held out two Morita's, taking down two bugs at a time.
The bugs slowed down on their attack and haulted, "What the hell?" Said Mike, looking over to Cody. Cody had a confused face as well, along with the whole platoon. The firing stopped.
Cody stood amazed as the bugs began running back into the mountains, "What was the point of that sir?" Asked Matt.
"Beats me, but I want to find out what's over those cliffs."
"Trust me, me and a patrol team have been out there lots of times, nothing special," Replied Mike.
"Mike, alert the towers, tell them to stay put at base, make sure it's secured when we get back, also tell them to keep in contact with fleet, now move!" Ordered Cody.
"Sir, yes sir!" Mike replied. Mike spun around, "Cobra's, looks like the bugs are having a party on the other side of the mountains, and we're invited!"
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Ethan had killed a lot of bugs and it felt good but now he wanted revenge he wanted to find a tanker and blow the shit out of it. Terra was in the com center trying to get fleet to do something but they still said they couldn't send another boat until morning.
Ethan put on the rest of his gear in order to go bug hunting properly. He loaded up on several grenades just in case he ran into one of those damn tankers.
The platoon, excluding the tower operators and those in the com center left. They marched across the desert towards the ominous mountains in the distance. Ethan's thoughts pulsated, he was getting a really negative feeling about the other side of those mountains.
"Shit man why do gotta go all the way out here just to see bugs" one of the platoon members said.
"Hey keep quit and stay alert" Ethan hollered.
"I'm just sayin is all"
"Hey shut up or the bugs are gonna hear us".
That negative feeling in his head only grew stronger as he approached the mountains but for now he would keep his mouth shut about them.
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Cody kept walking, Guerra and James up in front of him. He heard a little bit of bickering behind him and Ethan yell something. He turned and moved towards them. Ethan was busy engaed in attempting to shut some trooper up when Cody grabbed him and spun him around.
"Trooper. This is my unit. You don't speak to my men like that. Besides the fact you're a private, you're alive by my men's sacrifces, don't forget it."
Ethan nodded. "Yes sir, sorry sir."
Cody nodded and moved back to his position. He motioned for Michael to join him. He heard soft trodding as Mike appeared beside him. Cody bit his lip trying not to laugh.
"So, how was fighting the bugs in you're skivvies?"
Mike gave Cody a sarcastic look. "Oh it was great sir, I'm hoping next time we'll be able to try another position."
Cody grinned as he looked back to the front. Guerra held up a fist and the platoon halted. Cody and Michael moved up beside Guerra and James. They peered over the edge of the cliff.
Thousands of bugs moved in and out of bug holes, warriors mostly, but hundreds of worker bugs were digging more tunnles throughout the valley. Dozens of tankers moved along, some standing guard along the valley's grounds. What attracted the Cobra's attention was the center.
Protected by this masive bug army, sat a brain bug, propped up onto it's chariot bugs like a king on a throne. Cody motioned for the platoon to form up along the ridge line. He tapped James.
"Get on the com, and tell fleet what we've got."
James nodded and turned to raise fleet. Cody felt someone move into his spot. It was the medic Kelsey. She looked petrified. She turned to Cody.
"Sir? What are we going to do."
Cody looked at her, her eyes shinning with fear. He signaled for the platoon to move in closer. As they did, he started talking.
"Listen up. This is big. We've got a Brain here, it looks like there was more than one. We're going to..."
Ethan collapsed. Cody and Kelsey ran to him, Ley and Oriley close in behind. Ethan began to shake violently. Cody held him down while Oriley checked Ethan over. As Oriley checked Ethan's eyes, Ethan kicked out, knocking Oriley over. Guerra aimed his rifle at Ethan's head.
"No." Cody said as he continued to hold Ethan down. A full minute passed before Ethan's seizure subsided and he became still. Cody was about to release him when he bolted up into a sitting position, his eyes glowing a flourescent yellow. He spoke in a raspy voice.
"Human! You will perish just as the rest of you're race. We will not stop untill every last one of you has been killed. Nothing, will prevent you're extinction."
Guerra chambered a round but Cody pushed the barrel away. Ethan started to laugh, an evil, echoing laugh that reminded Cody of something dark and evil. The laugh faded and Ethan's eyes returned to normal. He shook his head.
"Sir?"
Cody helped him stand. Ethan was shaky, but Cody helped him stay standing. Cody spoke first.
"You're physcic arn't you?"
Ethan nodded.
"What happened?"
Ethan shook his head again, clearing his thoughts.
"It was that brain bug sir, it sent a message through me somehow, sir, they're coming."
Cody looked at Oriley who shook his head. Guerra shrugged.
"Who?"
Ethan reached up and put his hands on Cody's face. He was tumbled into a dream world, images flashing in his mind, screaming and blood. It felt like his head was about to explode and in seconds, it was over.
Cody looked towards Mike and Guerra.
"Lt? You alright?"
Cody shook his head.
"We need to get back to the outpost and get off this rock. Now."
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Mike jumped a bit, he heard a loud moan, he peaked over the rugged rocks, "Uh, Lt, you better take a look at this." Cody came marching over and took a peak, he immediately spun around,
"Cobra's, to the OP now!" He ordered. Mike stood still, starring at what he thought he'd never see. Millions of Warrior bugs charging and moaning, he looked into the horizon, seeing thousands of Hoppers, letting out battle cries, hundreds of Tankers stomped their large, flat feet, rage filled their blood as they charged, sending acid flares in the air as a chant.
"Move, move move, let's get out of here!" Yelled a marine as the entire platoon began to fall back. Mike had a flash back to when he was a young boy, he remember taking his magnify glass out, and would burnt any bug he saw, Mike closed his eyes, inhaled deeply and began sprinting faster, after all these years, who would've known that the hunters, just became the hunted.
"Second squad, supress those Hoppers!" Ordered Cody. Six men spun around, including Mike, firing freely at the thousands that came spiraling towards with speed and agression.
"Get some!" Yelled Mike as he unleashed hell on the predators. He concentrated his fire on one Hopper that came closing in on his position, the casing sprang out like lego pieces, the bullets flew like light, penetrating the thick, green, rough skin of the Hopper. It moaned as it came down, attempting to finish Mike off.
Mike waited for the right moment, and jumped to his right, rolling in the sandy pits. The blade of the Hopper ripped right threw his shoulder, blood poured all across the sandy desert. "Ah!" Mike yelled in pain, but he was no wussy, he picked himself up and began firing with one hand. Although it was inaccurate to do so, Mike was never the man who would go down without a fight.
Oriley couldn't help but attend Mike's wound, "I'm not going to lie, this is going to sting like a bitch," He warned.
"What is?" Mike replied in pain. Before Mike could even look down to see what Oriley was doing, he stuck two fingers into Mike's flesh, where the wound is, Mike yelled in pain, sweat dripped down his face, he fell to one knee.
"You're going to be okay, your collar bone isn't borken, it's just chipped, I suggest you dont use your left arm at all!" He suggested.
Mike couldn't help but chuckle, "Heh...Yeah right kid," He replied, "Let's move before we're done for." The duo began sprinting with what they had left, Mike's vision began to blur, but he could see the outpost, he was so close, but he couldn't do it. He fell to one knee, turned around seeing millions of those bastards pouring down the mountains.
Another Hopper came swooping in, this time it tried finishing Mike off. Mike did his best, and rolled to the left, firing a round from his shotgun, ripping the Hopper in half.
Mike picked himself up, but stumbled down again, he fell face first into the sand. "Help...Please, help." Mike looked over, seeing a wounded marine with a Hoppers claw jabbed into his gut,
"Hang on...Ma-Marine." The heat, the pain, the stress was getting to Mike, "Med-Med...Medic!" Mike yelled with what he had left, gripping tighter on the marines hand. "Hang in there pal." Mike said, trying to keep the marine calm.
Mike glarred up, squinting his eyes, the platoon was long gone, Mike lay on the ground next to the marine, "You got family?" Said the marine.
Mike shook his head, "No, I don't." The marine crept into his pocket, his hand shaking,
"Give this to my wife, please." He said, coughing up blood. Mike held the picture, and let a sigh out.
"Between me and you buddy, I don't think either of us are getting out of here alive." The marine began to go into shock, his body twitching violently, he held tight on Mike's arm, but Mike didn't dare look at him at all.
"P-Plea-Please...He-Help.." The marines grip loosen, and he let go. Mike ripped off his dog tags, placing them in his pocket he picked himself up, and marching with what he had left to the outpost.
He spun around, the bugs were getting closer and closer, one of the bugs were close to Mike. He spun around, and fired a barrage of round, ripping it to smitherins. It's jaw came clashing down, spearing into Mike's thigh. "Ah!" Mike yelled in pain as he collasped to the ground. Another bug approached near him, Mike fired at will, ripping it's limbs off, then pincers, then the bug its self.
Mike gripped the jaw of the bug and threw it off him. Panting heavily Mike loaded another clip, everything became a blur, it didn't feel like anything was real, Mike closed his eyes, hoping it would all end.
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Cody turned and fired left, his rounds ripping into the warrior as it fell, the green gore from inside of it spilling onto the sand and drying up. Cody turned, they had barley any light with them, everyone had a rifle flashlight, but a few had helmet ones. He spun to see Guerra running, Kelsey over his shoulder.
"What happened!" Cody yelled as he kept running.
"She got hit, bug swatted her, she's out cold, nothing else."
Cody nodded. He heard screams. He turned as saw a lone trooper holding off a few bugs at the front. He called out into the night.
"Command team up! On me!"
Guerra placed Kelsey onto the ground as James, Oriley, Lexy, and Eversman stepped up, Morita's ready. Cody yelled to Ethan.
"Get everyone into the outpost! Get them off this damn rock!"
"Sir yes sir!"
Cody ran with the command team towards the lone solider who, after killing a warrior bug, slumped over. Cody too a knee beside him picked him up fire man style. He started running towards the outpost, the command team close in behind him.
Guerra managed to scoop up Kelsey while firing his Morita as they ran towards the outpost. The whole command team ran now, their feet pounding into the sand as the carried themselves to the outpost.
They never made it.
The sand infront of them seemed to swirl as in caved in, giant holes 6 feet wide appeared as warrios appeared from them along with a pair of tankers. Cody swerved left and led the command team towards the mountains.
He looked back in time to see Ethan and the others close the ramp up behind them as the towers started the battle of the night. Cody turned back and slowed down, coming to a stop near the top of the hill.
He lay Mike down on a flat rock and seated himself nearby. He looked into the outpost to see a retrival boat landing.
Looks like Terra managed to get us, them, a boat.
Cody picked Mike back up and the 8 man command sqaud continued on away from the bug army of millions behind them.
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"What the hell do you meen we can't go back for them" Ethan said
"It's too risky and we need to go back into orbit".
The frustration was killing him the rest of the platoon was out there some where and there was nothing he could do. Then an Idea came into his head he grabbed a nuke launcher and then influenced the pilots to swing around. Even if he couldn't find them Ethan would at least get his revenge on those damn beetles. He opened the side door leaned out and shot the nuke at a large group of bugs. afterwards he softly whispered Looks like I got more bugs than you sarge.
When they got back to The Phoenix A Colonel and a Captain were waiting.
"Pvt. Ethan we need you to come with us". They said in unison.
They turned and he followed them. They took him to a small office where they then asked him about the events on the planet. He told them about the bugs message and the fact that there was one and possibly more Brain bugs on the planet.
The two printed a piece of paper and handed it to Ethan, he looked it over it and then wearily stood up. He had just started to like the MI and now they were putting him in Intel. The good news was that he would be doing field work and he had a little more authority now. Next he was handed a new uniform with a case on top of it.
He was dismissed and went back to Terra's room. He set all of these new items down on a table and then opened the case. A new set Lt. bars glinted at him. Terra had just come out of the shower, she looked over and saw the bars. Ethan got a big hug and a congratulatory kiss.
"You got into Intelligence finally I see". she said
"Yeah I did" he said with a tired tone.
While he was still only a field operative it still meant he have a diminished role in active combat. He had gotten all those bugs with the nuke but it wasn't enough, he felt he needed to do more to get revenge for his squad. It was like a craving that couldn't be satisfied until their entire was extinct.
"I'm sorry hun but I have to go back right away".
Ho took of his old uniform and put on the the new one one. It felt strange as if it were formal as if war was game to be played by the powerful.
He went to the armory and got a new set of body armor. When he was suited up and ready he went to the hangar to join the platoon he was to accompany.
After a short mission briefing they all boarded the drop ship and prepared to go planet side to find the general local of that bug.
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Blinking quickly, Mike regained conciouss looking around to get an idea of where he was. He took a quick peak at his wounds, they were patched up and the bleed had stopped, but only for some time.
He began looking around with his vision still a blur. "Cody, what the hell is going on?" Mike mumbled. Cody cleared his throat, "We saw you stranded out there, me and some fellow soldiers came to assist you, the bugs were gaining on us so we had to split in between this canyon. The rest of the marines are heading home, us on the other hand have a journy ahead of us, we're moving out to the crash site, it could contain supplies that might help us."
Mike ran his hand down his face wipping off all the sweat that got in his way, "The closest outpost is twenty miles, Charlie-7. We'll never make it in this heat, and with the bugs out there."
Mike relaxed, layin on a hard bed of rocks. "I know," Replied Cody, "That's why we're heading to the crash site, we'll try and establish a connection with the fleet and find a L.Z."
Mike gave a weak chuckle, "Good luck." Cody smiled back,
"Yeah, too bad you're coming with us."
Mike moaned, "You know you're an asshole." He said with a smile on his face.
"I know," Cody replied, "That's why we're moving out now."
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Cody kept going regardless of the hard conditions. About an hour ago, they had run their canteens dry, Kelsey had regained conciousness and could move on her own, Mike on the other hand, was in bad trouble. Cody had spoken to Oriley earlier out of earshot of Mike.
"How is he?" Cody had asked Oriley betwen sipps of water.
"Not great, he's lost a load of blood, he's in and out too, he's got no idea where he is or what's going on. I'm suprised he's alive still. You got a fighter there sir."
Cody nodded. "That we do."
He had kept carrying Mike the whole way. Occasionly Guerra would take him for a while so Cody could break for a bit, but in a matter of minutes Cody took Mike back. He felt it was his responsibility to get him to safety.
Cody cursed thier luck. Had they been smarter, they'd have taken the direct route, but in their haste to escape the bugs, they'd taen the long route. Cody figured they'd find the boat anytime now. He called back to Kelsey.
"You good Boule?"
Kelsey nodded.
"Yes sir, good to go." She gave him the thumbs up as she said it.
Cody nodded. They'd had a few encounters here and there, the worst being a ten bug team that had been roaming around. He figured the worst was yet to come. He was about to ask Guerra to take Mike when he heard James call from the front of their line.
"Here! It's here!"
Cody pushed into a jog, doing his best not to shake to much to spare Mike the pain. As he reached the rock around the corner, he saw the boat. It lay like a treasure, slightly on it's left side. Cody placed Mike down, leaning him against the ships out wall.
"Thanks" Mike whispered as his head bobbed to his chest. Oriley checked his neck and shook his head.
He mouthed to Cody.
"Not good."
Cody nodded and went to join the others in searching for supplies. He had just finished prying batteries from the display consle for their flashlights when he heard a thud. He emerged from the ship's cockpit to see Geurra and James openeing a large chest.
Cody dropped the batteries onto a cloth tarp they had laid out, along with the batteries, they'd managed a couple of flares, the electronic compass from the ship, and a full canteen of water from the ships cooling tank. He went over to the chest where Oriley was checking the supplies.
"What do we have?"
Oriley shook his head side to side.
"Not bad sir, another canteen of water, a couple blankets, some rifle ammo, half dozen ration tins each with cutlery, a short range radio, and this," he said pulling out a smaller black suitcase. "It's an emergency field op medical kit."
Cody nodded. From the looks on Kelsey and Lexy's faces, they new how important it was. Oriley opened it.
"Alright, plenty of battle dressings, two bottles of morphine, a bottle on penicilin, an oxygen mask, difibulator, and this." He finished pulling out what looked like a small tent.
Cody cocked an eyebrow. "Oriley?"
Oriley smiled. "It'll cost you less pain sir." He said as he unfolded it. Cody smiled. Oriley locked the stretcher in and tested it, it worked. He Passed it off to Kelsey and Lexy who went to put Mike onto it.
Oriley and Geurra moved to Cody as James went to check out out the radio they had found. Eversman was propped high up on a rock, looking out over the desert incase they had visitors. Guerra talked in a low voice.
"What are our chances Oriley?"
He shook his head. "We've got about 4 days of stuff here, but if we don't get help soon, we could be in for some trouble."
Cody nodded understanding the situation. He was in charge and therefore these men and women were his responsibility. He decided they'd camp here for the night, so, with most of them ramming into the ship for shelter, Cody took the first watch.
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The drop ship left for the planet, hopefully this visit would be short Ethan thought. Now had gone through the atmosphere several times and was used to roughness associated with it. Ethan knew that the survivors would head for the retrieval boat. The drop ship couldn't fit in the canyon so they have to deploy near by and then march the rest of the way.
On the way down he sent out a message by radio.
"Lt. Shaer if you can hear me go to the retrieval boat that crashed earlier".
They set but they had about a 5 mile march to the boat. Ethan gave the coordinates to the platoons Lt. They formed into a group and began the march. Hopefully they would be there because if not The platoon would have to move on with the mission unless the made contact with the missing soldiers.
They went a good 4 miles with out any bug encounters but the signs of bug activity was increasing. They were looking for the troopers as well. An image flashed into Ethan's mind.
"Platoon left face". he ordered
The entire platoon shifted as a warrior bug came patrolling over the hills .They opened fire ripping it to shreds,
"Alright they know where here now we need to pick up speed and get there quickly".
Covering the next mile in about 10 minutes the reached the crash sight to find Lt. Shaer and the others.
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Out in the distances Mike spotted a bunch of marines heading towards their position. This brought a great grin onto Mike's face knowning he could finally leave this hell hole.
A man stepped infront of Mike's view, "I'm Lieutenant Tony Borkowsky." He began to aid Mike. The man was roughly 5'6, light tanned skin, but Mike couldn't help notice the large scar that went down his face verticly crossing over his left eyebrow.
"Appreciate your assitance." Replied Mike picking himself up. Cody stumbled over from patrol,
"Well, look at what we have here, glad you came back to help us out Ethan bringing a platoon along."
Lt. Tony Borkowsky greeted Cody while introducing his finest soldiers, "Lieutenant we have a boat about five miles west, if we move now we'll only face minimul resistance."
Cody nodded in agreement to his speech, "Very well Tony." Cody said looking over to Mike, "My injured are priority one."
Lt. Tony Borkowsky signaled two soldiers to help carry Mike if needed. Mike grabbed his Morita rifle, he slipped out the magazine checking the ammount of rounds he had left. He slipped it back in, jamming it, then cocked back. "Ready when you are sir."
"Commando squad let's move out!" Cody ordered as the platoon followed by what was left of the torn up Cobra's set a track into the steep, dark and dangerious canyons.
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Cody yawned as he rolled out of his cot. It had been nearly four hours since they'd been rescued from Plant P. After docking, he gathered what men survived and did a quick head count. When he had finished, his stomach had felt twisted.
"Only 17 of us? That's it?"
He had said as he finished counting off? He re-checked his life. 8 alive, the other 9 all WIA. He had retreated to his quarters to rest and attempt to forget about all those who he'd lost.
So when he walked around his room and noticed a small envalope on his desk, he was slightly scared to open it. Would it be demotion papaers? Military investigation on his operation? Ejection from the MI notice? He shakily opened the paper.
He scanned the one line memo.
"Meet in Black Ops meeting room, deck 2, entry code: SCARLET HAMMER"
Cody re-read the note a few times, as if by magic it would change to one of the many papers he was scared to find. It didn't. He quickly scrambled to get change into his uniform, kocking a few things over in the process. When he opened his door, he was suprised to see what was left of his men there.
Leaning against the wall, Guerra nodded when he saw him, Kelsey and Lexy both talked in hush voices to each other, while Michael, Eversman, and Oriley were talking hard and fast about what they might be heading into. When Cody stepped out, they all rose, snapping to attention.
"Adise. I guess we'd better move."
They nodded as Cody led them through the maze of the ship until finaly they reached the room in question. Cody acessed the keyboard attached to the wall beside the heavy blast door. He punched in the code. A cool femlae voice answered him.
"Password Scarlet Hammer accepted, welcome Lieutenant Shaer."
The doors slid open. Cody continued in as each memeber registered themselves untill they all stood. Cody realized it worked like an air lock, and the door infront of him was made entirley of glass. When they slid back, Cody motioned for his team to sit. He figured the lack of enough chairs meant he was to stand.
A general Cody didn't recognize stepped out, the dim light of the holo projecter casting an erie glow onto his face wich was worn and battle scarred. He spoke in almost a growl, his voice horse and meanacing.
"Cobras, you've been selected to take part in operation Scarlet Hammer."
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Ethan watched as the boat lifted off, his mission was still incomplete. The platoon marched on to where the brain bug was initially sighted. The mission was to locate the general area of where the brain bug was.
"Alright Lt. separate your men into reconnaissance groups and them take down the locations of all the tunnel entrances." Ethan said.
The group split up and began to map the area, there were at least 70 bug holes in the area. It didn't matter though the Federation would search every single one of them. Ethan thought back to his high school days when he studied the bugs. He looked around for a sign of more organized construction. That thought made him laugh to himself. Ethan came across an anomaly, he found the molted skin of a sarkarian sand beetle or a chariot bug as the grunts called them.
An image came to him, the brain bug had gone done this tunnel. He shot up a flair into the sky, it was the signal to fall back. The the platoon regrouped back outside the valley.
"Corporal get over here". Ethan said
"Yes sir what is it". he responded
'Hand me your com". Ethan ordered
Taking the com Ethan radioed Fleet.
"This Lt. Mei-kym with Intel, get me General Horowitz".
"Mei-kym how's the search going"
"Sir we've located several tunnel entrances along with one high priority one".
"Roger when you return come to my office".
They only waited about 20 minutes before being retrieved. Back in orbit Ethan met with the general. He was given a geographic holo map and told to mark the location of the bug tunnels. After doing so he was told to get some rest as everyone was being redeployed to the planet to capture the bug. He was then given a letter and dismissed.
Ethan walked to the officers section of the ship, he delivered the letter and then went to get some rest.
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Cody looked around the room, no one else was present except for his team. He returned his focus onto the General who had started passing around papers as he spoke.
"Everyone needs to sign these, it's the legal documentation of this clasified mission. Signing this legaly binds you to never speak of the mission after it has been completed to anyone but those involved."
Cody took a pen Guerra was passing around and signed his name at the bottom of the paper. He waited untill the General had re-collected all the papers before continuing.
"I'll be quick, as you'll be deployed imediatley after this briefing. We've located the direction the in which brain bug you sighted has retreated. All units, except for yours is being sent in pursuit."
Cody didn't understand this, he had to ask. He stood. "Sir! Permission to speak sir!"
The General shook his head. "I know Shaer, you want to be chasing after it with everyone else, hell I'd let you, but we need this done."
Cody nodded as he sat down.
The General continued. "The brain bug wasn't the only discovery made in the last 24 hours. Approximatley 200km from our farthest outpost on the eastern front, we found this." He finished as he tapped the holo screen.
Cody was awe struck. The lush green jungle infront of him gleamed with recent water that had fallen. Ambient noises filled the speakers as Cody's blood ran cold. A warrior bug walked across the screen towards the left. The General turned back to them.
"This jungle covers roughly a thousand square km, we believe this is an important source of food for the bugs. You're going in."
Cody stood again, he had so many questions. The General however, waved his hand. Cody sat, quick.
"You're being issued new gear." He said pointing to the locker room behind him. "Gear up and get moving Cobras. Your mission details are onboard your ship."
The Cobras stood and saluted. The General left, and as soon as the door slid closed, everyone bolted to check on the new gear.
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Ethan tried to sleep he was haunted by strange images that kept him awake. He saw a jungle whose waters ran red with blood, a snake fighting a bug, and a shining light. The message was cryptic and he couldn't discern what it meant.
He felt Terra sleeping next to him, he thought on how good it must be to just sleep. Ethan had a good rest in days and he knew he wouldn't unless he got control of his abilities.
Ethan set about trying to picture the vision, he tried focusing on the whole vision but nothing came through. He than tried to focus on just one part, the snake came quickly and from there he could piece things together easily. The blood meant lots of death and the shinning light was victory but if only he knew who was going to win that was still missing.
It was a triumph to have that level of control but it wasn't any where near what others could do but Ethan's ability was growing as he fought so maybe one day he would be on par the higher ranking Intelligence Officers.
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" The blood covered his face, warm floods squirted every direction. it was soothingly good......"
Victor woke to a start. He ran his hands through his wet damp hair. He sat in his cold metal bunk awhile longer, gathering his thoughts slowley. He was on the Capital Carrier ship Sanctus Chirosian, acting as Captian Sargent of a dropship.
He slowly swung his legs out of his bunk and quitly sighed to himself. He got up and shambled over to the shower, if you could call it that. The shower consited of a 2 foot by 2 foot square shower "box" in which the shower only came in "cold". he shivered as the water slid down his sandy brown hair.
As he strode into his room to get dressed the speakers installed into every room of the ship blurred to life.
"Victor Falken please report to dock C327 for routine briefing, thank you"
Victor shivered, "damn these people" he thought to himself.
He sliped on his officers uniform with years of expirience.
Jogging down the long corridors of the Sanctus, Victor puffed as he rounded the corner to his dock and briefing room. His co-pilot was already their waiting. Jim Varr and Victor had piloted together ever since flight school.
"Best friends stick together" he thought to himself as he slid himself into one of the two seats.
"so i guess were droping some marines down" said Jim almost seeming to speak to himself
"when are we leaveing?" replied Victor
"2100 hours from now" said Jim
"will we be acting as back up drop?" asked Victor as he pored himself some black liquid somehow resembling coffee
"yea and also emergency drop also"
"well this is going to be fun" whispered Victor as he sipped his sludge
"what was that you said Vic?"
"nothing, nothing at all"
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Cody clicked in the helmet onto the new armour. Unlike the last MI armour, this suit was fully encased with no skin showing. The helmet came down with a protective fae shield which reminded Cody of a motor cycle helmet. Also equipped on the helmet was a scanner, similar to those in the star ships.
He felt the locks click in and took his first breath of recycled air. He turned to Mike who merley sat wearingn othingbut his old MI armour.
"What's up solider?"
Mike shook his head. "They didn't give me one because," he said pulling the note of his locker. "due to your unexpected joininng of the Cobras, weapons and ops was unable to compose another suit for you usage."
Cody shook his head. "You want mine?"
Mike responded. "No, I'm good, don't reallyl ike the look of them, and I like my rifle just fine."
Cody nodded as he grabbed the new rifles. A different model Morita with a 40mm grenade launcher attached under the barrel. Cody couldn't wait to try the new ammo type on the bugs, "APHE" which Cody guessed it stood for "Armour Piercing High Explosive".
After suiting up, Cody and the Cobras moved towards the hangars feeling slightly more secure inside these power suits.
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Victor and Jim were preping the dropship in the hanger when a squad of what looked like marines marched in. For some reason they looked as if they were wearing a new type of body armour. The rifles they were holstering looked as if they were upgraded in many ways.
"man i wish could try one of those babys out" Victor whisperd to himself
"stay here Jim and keep preping ill go ahead and meet the squad leader"
Victor casualy made his way out of the drop ship and walked up to what seemed like the leader.
"Hello captian, i am Lieutenant Cody Shaer of The Cobras" anounced the squad leader and grabed ahold of victors hand and shook it
"Hi lietenant nice to meet you i am Captian Sargent Victor Falken of this fine drop ship here, it seems me and my co-pilot Jim Varr will be droping you guys today."
"Yes it does, do you now the drop point?"
"Yea i do, its also by chance that we will be acting as back up drop and emergency drop, like your going to need it" victor said as he scanned their new armour
It seemed that one of the other men were wearing one of the old types of armour, he wondered why.
"Well i guess we should start straping you boys in then, whenever your ready"
Victor lead the way into the modified dropship and suited himself up. The cobra did not seem to have any trouble what so ever buckling themselfs up in the harneses that stuck out from the wall.
"And were off" anounced Victor into his comms unit to notify The Cobras.
The back hatch of the drop ship closed and they were off towards the planet and the drop
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When Cody felt the dropship lurch, he felt re-assured. He'd quickly scanned Falken's SCV and was quite ipressed of his record, even if he was a fly boy. The dropship shook and dipped as they entered the atmosphere. Cody saw the lights snap to green and he released his harness and stood as the turbulence smoothed out.
"Listen up apes! We're first to explore this place, consider it hostile teritory. We've got no clue what's in there, and chances are it wont be friendly. Proceed with extreme caution. You get me?"
"We get you sir!" The Cobra's roared as the COM snapped on.
"Lt. Shaer? We're hitting the deck in five."
"Rodger that, thank you Captain."
The Cobra's relased their harnesses and stood behind Cody as they doors started to open. Cody stepped forward.
"Live forever apes."
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"there out" commented Jim as he flicked a switch on the ceiling of the drop ship
"give em hell boys" Victor seid into his comm unit
Victor scanned the drop point at which the cobras were setting up a perimeter. It was a lush oasis on a Hell ridden world.
The dropship turned and started to rocket back into the air, when a purple burst of energy erupted from inside the perimeter of the jungle. It lanced straight towards the drop ship.
"Emergency menouvers activated" shouted jim
it was a blur of movement as Victor whirled the control stick to his left jsut in time for the hot blast of energy to screach into the hull of the drop ship. The dropship descended as fast as it took off and crashed into a jumble of trees.
Victor awoke to the screaching of metal as part of the drop ship fell in on itself. He looked to his right only to see half of jims burnt and blood spatterd face. There seemed to be a metel piece of the consol sticking out of his mid-section.
"Damn" Whispered Victor as he gagged to try and hold the bile down.
Luckly his legs were not hurt bad and he hoisted himself out of the seat and stumbled into the the small armoury of the dropship. He managed to rip the tall weapons case open and take out a morita carbin and belt of ammo with two clips of granades stuck too it and run out of a hole that had been blasted through before the drop ship erupted into a flaming ball of death and metal.
Sitting on soft grassy ground Victor checked to his legs and arms. Luckly besides the gash in his shoulder he was fine. He sat for a moment fidiling with the comms unit that was attached to his ear. After abotu ten minutes of fidiling he found the rite signal.
"I need to speak to Lt. Shaer of cobra squadron"
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Cody turned and fired at the wavy clear outline of the bug as the invisible-like creature ran towards him through the underbrush. Cody continued his fire, green blood spraying out of the bug as it collapsed to the ground. It's strange invisible color flashing once, and turning solid to reveal it's natural green, scaly skin.
Cody loved his new rifle, he loved the whole suit. The weapons effective ammunition could put a bug down with a quick burst of well aimed shots. He turned and helped Mike put down another bug they'd nicknamed "Chameleons".
Mike wiped his forehead. "Thanks Lt. How many is that now?"
Cody shrugged his shoulders, it was the third time they'd be ambushed by these weird creatures, each time just barley escaping a fatality from someone. He flipped down his scanner and checked the Cobra's bio-signs.
Kelsey and Lexy both showed elevated heart rates, Guerra was strangley clam, Mike wasn't on his damn screen due to having the old armour, Oriley had a minor cut across his back, James looked fine. He motioned them to take a break when his radio cakcled.
"I need to speak to Lieutenant Cody Shaer of the Cobra squadron."
Cody grabbed the radio recognizing the voice. It was the flyboy who'd brought them in. They'd seen the dropship go down, but being so busy with the new bugs, they'd forgot about it.
"This is him." Cody said as he switched on his helmets external speakers so the team could listen in.
"Thank god, I'm down roughly, oh hell I got no idea. Didn't manage a look when I went down, I could be anywhere. Any ideas?"
Cody clicked the com to "stand-by".
"Oriley? Guerra? Suggestions people."
Oriley stood from the stump he'd sat on. "Well, if he activates his emergency beacon, these suits should be able to get some kind of signal, maybe not from far away, but if we get closer maybe."
Cody nodded, clikc the com back to "talk".
"Victor, get your ships ermergency beacon up and running, we'll find you."
"Rodger Shaer, don't be to long, out."
Cody cocked is rifle, pointing to people as he issued orders.
"Alright, map and recon is no longer our priority, we need to get out of here and report the new bugs to HQ as well as pull out Victor. Teams of I want small teams. Guerra, you Mike and Oriley head down this way, radio if you find something. James, you and Lexy head that way, same orders. Kelsey, you're with me. Move out apes!"
"Yes sir."
The Cobra's spread out, each moving towards their designated direction. Cody took lead, rifle up and sweeping the path ahead of him. He heard a small barrage of gunfire to his left, which quickly subsided. He pushed on, waiting for the next invso freak to take a stab at him.
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Victor felt naked for usualy if he went on a "dangerous" mission he usaly had his body armour or atleast more men with him. Here he was alone.
Victor switched his comm unit to stand by to save the battery. He slowly got up and assesed the ship. The fire had gone out due to the foam fire extingisures that were installed in the dropship. He slowley walked up the ramp leading into the ship. He headed back to the armoury to try and turn the ships beacon back on to try and get the marines over to his position.
Victor pushed a little red button on one of the many consoles he saw. He hoped to god that it still worked. Slowley it came to life and blinked over and over again. He glanced in the direction of the cockpit. it was closed off from debrise that had fallen. the little red button seemed to be working so Victor decided to set up a make shift command post for the marines while waiting.
He trudged down the ramp to the clear openeing of grass and broken trees. He stepped out ofthe ship and holstered his carbine.
His eyes widdened as he noticed a little glimmer of sun reflecting off of the hide of some "invisible" creature.
Sure he'd been taught how to fire a gun. Its just he's never had to do it on another living being, or animal in this case.
He hoisted his carbine to his shoulder and quickly let out a burst of shots.
The shots landed square into the midsection of the "bug". Green blood sprayed out but it refused to fall. It quickly ran full speed towards Victor. It was hungry and it wanted him.
Victor let loose on the automatic and sprayed the bug with a full clip of ammo before it finaly decided to die.
It lay on the ground were minutes eirlier Vic sat. He slowley walked up to the bug to inspect it. He was lucky to have seen the glint of sun on its skin. It slowley came back into its original color of green, it had sclales like a reptile or a snake. He waisted the rest of the clip into the bugs head and reloaded.
Victor holstered his gun on his back and ran into the drop ship and brought out a couple of dented and dead looking cases.
He opened the cases and flipped out two metal fences. He set them up in an arrow head position and faced them towards the jungle. He hoped to god that the Cobras would get to him fast enough before it was too late.
He heard some shots off in the distance and wondered if hed'd get home from this one.
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Cody run quicker, Kelsey beside him. They looked up behind them, occasionaly, firing a burst of shots at the new creatue following them. Cody thanked god it wasn't invsible like the other ones, but he cursed the fact if flew like a hopper.
"Down!" Kelsey yelled as she dove left.
Cody rolled forward and into the base of a tree. A triplet of spines flew into the tree by his head, each sinking a good 6 inches into the bark before stopping. Cody jumped back up, scrambling to rejoin Kelsey as he cursed evolution for giving these new enemies with spines they could shoot out.
Cody kept running, he felt the rather than saw Kelsey trip and fall onto him from behind. The pair of MI troopers collapsed and stated rolling down a slope towards more jungle. Cody managed to fire his rifles grenade launcher back up into the air and was rewarded with an explosion as it clipped the wings of a pursuing bug.
Cody felt his head hit a stump, or a rock, or something really hard. He slowly started to roll over when he flet a very human shape smash into him, smashing is back against that had object behind him.
He slowly shook his head, smelling burning bug guts, and blacked out.
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Victor was setting up more defenses when he heard a loud crack. He quickly sholdered his carbine and faced it towards a hilly outcrop that sloped down from more of the jungle. He watched as two marines rolled down through bushes and rocks. One smashed his head on one of the crates that victor had set up, as another one rolled down straight into the first one rite as he was rolling over.
Victor relized with a sick thought that these were the cobras. He watched as a bunch of new type of bugs with wings and long spines leapt through the jungle into the clearing close to the cobras.
Victor un-clipped one of the grenades and let it fly straight at the small gathering of bugs.
It exploded on impact and sent bug guts everywere.
Victor ran over to the two unconcious cobras and checked their vitals. The girl looked as if she would be fine other than a twisted ankle.
The other cobra looked fimliar. It was Lt. shear. It looked as if Shear had smashed his head hard, there was blood leaking down his face. Vic hoisted shear up first and then the girl and dragged them out to the burnt out dropship.
By now Victor had cleared out most of the drop ship and laid most of the consols as barriers around the entrance to make a makeshift HQ.
He laid the two marines down in the hull and tended to the gash in shears head. He went back to the makeshift entrance to grab his comm unit.
"Cobra squad, This is Captian Sargent Victor Falken your Lt and another squad member is here"
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