M3T3

[Nick]

2179 AD, 6th October
Location: Sol system, Earth, United Americas, New York
Mission timer: 00:25:22

The dropship set down with a soft thump. The ramp was already open and the APC left the belly of the dropship as soon as it had touched down. The Marines noticed the APC going very smoothly, like they were driving on a road or concrete. "Ok get ready people...20 seconds" Lt Moore said over the intercom. The Marines unbuckled themselves from the restraints that kept them in place during the drop. Weapons were grabbed from the rack, quick checks that they were still on safe and that the magazines were properly secured was done mechanically and without any thought - The focus was completely on the mission ahead. No one said anything, everone being in their own zone psyching themselves up.

"Prepare to disembark" Lt Moore said calmly. After what felt like minutes the order came. "Disembark"

The Marines exited the APCs and were a little stunned to find themselves already inside a huge tunnel, stormdrain or whatever it was. The ground was covered in inches of rapidly flowing water, behind them they could hear heavy rain and a distant rumbling thunder. The two APCs were parked next to each other with a few meters gap, their headlights activated, illuminating roughly one hundred meters of the tunnel before it taking a sharp right hand turn. The sides of the tunnels had been built up so maintenance workers could inspect the tunnels without getting their feet wet. "Ok Marines, listen up. We can't take the APCs in with You and radio coverage down here is extremely poor, You will most likely lose contact after that bend. I want command squad to drop a Mk101 relay at every bend in the main pipe. I will also send Jean along with the Command Squad - She has the whole complex memorized and can guide You if You should get lost."

The storm gushing behind the APCs send a howling wind through the main sewage pipe carrying with it small droplets of water that landed softly on the marines. In the damp spray the four combined lights of the APCs looked like horizontal pillars in the dark, the small droplets reflecting the light brilliantly. The tunnel carried a odor of decay and earth, not so much sewage - The storm had probably already cleared out the worst by now.

>

[Raider65]

Stormhurst fanned out from the APC in a security formation once he lept from the door, his shoulder lamp illuminating a small patch of the darkness to the side. He brought up his pulse rifle and searched for any targets. Not finding any immediate threats, he switched to the IR eye piece and did a once over. He waited for Sgt Pitt to issue orders.

Morse, you could practice your singing voice here. I wonder how good this place echoes?

[Dirk Pitt]

On the LTs order Dirk exited the APC. As his shoulder mounted light illuminated the gloom he lit the cigarette he had been holding in his mouth sense before the drop. The smell of the smoke mixed with the smell of decay as he looked from side to side as he waited for orders.

"OK Marines, listen up. We can't take the APCs in with You and radio coverage down here is extremely poor, You will most likely lose contact after that bend. I want command squad to drop a Mk101 relay at every bend in the main pipe. I will also send Jean along with the Command Squad - She has the whole complex memorized and can guide You if You should get lost."

" OK third, on me. When we get the order to move out I want a tactical diamond. Stormhurst take left Hicks take right. Morse, take Monks walk rear guard. God knows if those things are down here we'll be falling back fast. I'll walk point for now.[b/] Dirk said

[Dugan]

Simovic moved out of the APC after listening to the Lt orders.

"Ok Squads fan out, First Squad you got point, Third cover our six. Take it slowly and check those corners, keep the Incinerators to the front. If you encounter the fugitives, issue them a warning if they resist we have authority to use lethal force to apprehend them"



Simovic flicked his eye piece down and started moving into the tunnel, he looked over at the Synthetic, she'd prove very useful on this mission removing the need to carry maps as GPS undoubtedly wouldn't work udown here.

"Pfc Patch don't let Wey out of your sight".



As he neared the bend he motioned the Support Squad over and handed them a bag containing the relays.

"Here setup a Mk101 relay here, and more at 100 meter intervals but don't go in front of the squad on point"

[Jean]

"... If you encounter the fugitives, issue them a warning if they resist we have authority to use lethal force to apprehend them"

Jean looked around to see if any of the humans had any objection to that last part.

"Sir, if I may be allowed, I can easily run after anyone that thinks they can get away on foot. Eventually they'll get tired. I don't get tired. All I need is someone that has the stamina to keep up with me because I won't risk hurting anyone." Jean said.

"Pfc Patch don't let Wey out of your sight".

Jean looked to Patch and didn't say anything. She knew the team would need her for her navigational data more than anything else but she also wanted to give the poor humans every chance possible to live.

[Morse]

As they neared the end of their little road trip, Morse lifted up his M41A-E2 for the first time. It was heavier and less balanced then the standard model, but that wasn't a problem for him as it was to be expected. Morse chewed on a piece of gum which had long past lost flavor, another one of his habits, and readied to move forward. When the order to disembark was given Morse filed out quickly. He had been seated on the middle of the left side so it was a few moments before his feet got on the ground. As he finally did he formed up around the side where the rest of the 'Easy Three's' were assembling.

He had actually been expecting Stormhurst to make some sort of comment about where they were or what they were doing, as was somewhat his tradition on dropping. "Oh a course'. Hell why don't you try given, whalin like a hound dog on a backwater porch, I'm sure the new Lieutenant'll just love it." Morse said moving past him. He checked the bi-pod on his weapon and made sure it was reading 300 rounds before moving to Dirk.

<Tag Raider

In his mind Morse jumped for joy when he heard he was the rear guard. That was his post, it's what he always did and knew best, so why change things. And as always Dirk was taking point, which still always surprised him. "Ya know Dirk, for bein in a profession where death is a damn good certainty, you sure aint one done lookin to improve your chances are ya?" Morse said commenting on that he was planning on taking point when the order to move out  was given.

< Tag Dirk

[Quinn]

Seeing as second squad hadn't been given orders, Sixtus tapped his com mic to access his squad's tactical net. "Don't stand around gawking second, form up behind first squad."

Kurosaki would find out if the squad had any specific orders from Simovic. But second squad wouldn't get a reputation for just standing around. Holding his pulse rifle with the stock extended to his shoulder, he took his position in line.

[maxvale76]

Her heart hammering in her chest lilke a trip-hammer, Samantha closed her eyes for a brief second and took a long, deep breath. Relaxing a little, she kept her head a on a swivel, staying alert.

Upon hearing SGT Simovic's orders, Hall replied with a crisp, "Aye, aye", and engaged the safety on her Pulse Rifle and slung it over her shoulder. Shen then looked to make sure the position was secured and then immediately began setting up the MK 101 relay, per orders.

[Raider65]

"That's what I likes about our fearless leader. He leads by example. Not alot of leaders do that anymore."



Moving to his Sgt's orders, Erik checked over his rifle once again. With everything A-Ok and ready, he waited for the go.

"Hey Morse, that sure is a pretty babble you got there. You sure you know which end to point down range"? 

"We're at the opening to hell"! 

[Dirk Pitt]

"Ya know Dirk, for bein in a profession where death is a damn good certainty, you sure aint one done lookin to improve your chances are ya?" Morse said commenting on that he was planning on taking point when the order to move out  was given.

[Morse]

Morse just laughed at it all. He wasn't lying, statistically speaking the longer a person was in the Corps the more reduced their likeliness of walking out of it became. In any event, for a lot of them it was all the remembered and it was all they knew. Morse looked more internally and just what he had to do. And that was rear guard. There was no sling on the E2 which would make it easier for him to hold it.

"I'm figurin you aint figured on this yet Stormhurst. But there aint an op we done that aint at the openin to Hell... but i aint seen none a that fire n' brimstone yet, but i got the confidence it'll be runnin us raggid soon." Morse replied to the hell based statement.

< Tag Raider and 3rd squad.

[Dugan]

The squads moved up to the bend, First taking point followed by Second and Command then Third guarding the rear.

"Sir, if I may be allowed, I can easily run after anyone that thinks they can get away on foot. Eventually they'll get tired. I don't get tired. All I need is someone that has the stamina to keep up with me because I won't risk hurting anyone." Jean said.

"Thats a negative Wey, I can't afford to lose you as your the only one who knows the layout of this place, plus these fugitives are armed and won't think twice about wasting you, keep near Pfc Patch for now".




[O.O.C Nick is there enough room to use the Smart guns in the tunnels, also are we able to use Grenades safely?]

[Jean]

"Thats a negative Wey, I can't afford to lose you as your the only one who knows the layout of this place, plus these fugitives are armed and won't think twice about wasting you, keep near Pfc Patch for now".

Jean's programming recommended sighing but she didn't follow the directive to do so. She tilted her head to Dugan and looked up at him out of the corner of her eyes for a moment, and then, nodded in response.

"That is, understandable."

She kept up with the commanders as they went around the first bend in the tunnels, placing the relay so that they were able to keep in communication when they split up. She walked closer to Patch after thinking about these people firing at them. She wanted to give him enough room to fire, but also, it was her job to protect anyone she could. The young imitation of a girl made sure that she had that perfect proximity to do something about bullets, if they fly.

"It puzzles me how these people would shoot at the people that would gladly help them if they were able to be taken easily," Jean said just loud enough for everyone nearby to hear her. "... Do you think that, maybe, they were given contradictory information about the Marines that would cause them to lash out in violence? To do anything more than allow us to help them without resistance would mean certain doom. They should know that if they knew why they were running."

[Dugan]

"It puzzles me how these people would shoot at the people that would gladly help them if they were able to be taken easily," Jean said just loud enough for everyone nearby to hear her. "... Do you think that, maybe, they were given contradictory information about the Marines that would cause them to lash out in violence? To do anything more than allow us to help them without resistance would mean certain doom. They should know that if they knew why they were running."

Simovic considered Wey's questions.

"Yeah it does seem strange I'll grant you that, but we don't know all the facts. For all we know being impregnated by these things could cause some sort of psychosis, or maybe these two people arn't even impregnated and are trying to escape with a xenomorph embryo. God knows how much one of those things would be worth on the black market!"

[Raider65]

"Sgt Pitt, is Hicks our new guy? Is he any good? Has he seen any combat? What you know of him?"



"Monks, you hang with Morse like the Sgt said. You look out for him if that new fangled weapon decides to quit on him, you hear, buddy."



"Morse, that the new moniker you came up with the Easy Three's? Kind of catchy."