Turn 30

Post by **Nick** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:05 pm

Sol system
Near Gateway Station
Hanger, USS Costaguana
Mission timer: 00:00:00

The USS Costaguanas automatic computer finished the final stages of releasing from the large station with the assistant of the platoons android. Priest. Two days had passed quickly and it was already Tuesday morning. The veterans of the "Easy eights" had spent the better part of the morning loading the ship and getting her ready for the next assignment. Weapons and ammunition had been gone through, radios had been checked and some of the Marines had helped the dropship crew with the UD4L ships. The Marines had had two days of rest and recreation on the largest space station known to man. The station virtually offered anything in entertainment. There where bars, gyms, shopping malls and even so called recreational areas with live animals and plants. Nothing like the real nature of course, but still refreshing if you spent most of your life locked into a cramped steel can in deep space.

Sergeant Steel led the loading operations. He was suprised when he felt the subtle jolt of the USS Costaguana while they still where loading the last supplies - They must be in a hurry. The door to the hangar hissed and a short woman with fiery red hair entered the hangar. Her collars flashed the ranks of Lieutenant. Behind her three tall dark hair marines followed, their uniforms stark in contrast to the more washed out ones of the vets.

"Fresh meat" Someone muttered.

tashw · Post by **tashw** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:17 pm

Eileen Vincent worked to keep the satisfied smile off her face as she entered the Costguana's hanger. Several weeks waiting around Gateway for an assignment hadn't sat well with her. The space station might be a hive of entertainment and recreational opportunities, but it was hard to enjoy them when the one thing your mind was set on was getting out of the place. Finally the waiting was done though, and not only had they assigned her a platoon, but one going straight into a real mission. It took a real effort to keep the grin off her face at the thought of that. She'd been convinced they'd foist some training exercise on her.

"Sergeant Steel?" Eileen picked out the sergeant leading the operations, and crossed briskly over to him, "I'm Lieutenant Vincent, your new platoon commander. I hope everyone's recovered from their R&R, sergeant, because it's straight back to work. As you can tell, we're moving fast. I need you to finish up down here, settle the newcomers and then assemble everyone for a briefing in 30 minutes." Eileen looked at him expectantly, "Any questions?"

pants · Post by **pants** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:29 am

"Sergeant Steel?" Eileen picked out the sergeant leading the operations, and crossed briskly over to him, "I'm Lieutenant Vincent, your new platoon commander. I hope everyone's recovered from their R&R, sergeant, because it's straight back to work. As you can tell, we're moving fast. I need you to finish up down here, settle the newcomers and then assemble everyone for a briefing in 30 minutes." Eileen looked at him expectantly, "Any questions?"

Nick turned from superviving the supply loading, when he heard his name called, and regarded his new Lieutenant and the three marines standing behind her. Instantly snapping to attention he saluted her then took a few seconds to gather his thoughts.

"Welcome aboard the Costaguanas Lieutenant Vincent. I am Sergeant Steel, it's just going to take me a little while to get used to hearing people calling me that," he grinned at the Lieutenant as he said this.

"Actually I do have a few questions concerning where we are getting deployed but it can wait till your briefing. It should only take a few minutes to finish this loading then I'll get the platoon organised and ready for the briefing. Where would you like to hold the briefing?" Nick asked the Lieutenant.

Looking behind the Lieutenants shoulder he regarded the three new recruits.

"Welcome to the 'Easy Eights' marines! I am Sergeant Steel, we will get better introduced at the briefing but for now I want you to know that you are joining, in my opinion, one of the best platoons in the USMC. Marines have shed blood, and made other people very dead, for this platoon and I expect nothing less from you all as well.

"Having said all that, why don't you give me your names and ranks so I can get you introduced to your new squads?" Nick looked at the new marines awaiting their replies.

StConstantine · Post by **StConstantine** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:21 am

"Having said all that, why don't you give me your names and ranks so I can get you introduced to your new squads?" Nick looked at the new marines awaiting their replies.

Con stepped forward, his keen eyes ran over the scar on the sergeants nose and to his gigantic arms that looked as if they could crush a man. "My name is Con Alexander sergeant, and according to you guys I'm a Private"
Con then saluted in a military fashion exagerationg the movement and stepped back with a smile.

HeavyGlenn · Post by **HeavyGlenn** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:50 pm

These two days had been long for Ronald though, one of the first things he did was drinking a hot cup of chocolate and cried of happiness while he did it. Else he was fooling around with his new best friends and gave poor Jacob more hugs then anyone would like. Sadly the happy and cuzzy Ronald was gone this morning, he loaded and worked like hell but he never smiled, some people could swear that he growled like an animal on a box of ammonation.

When the red haired woman and her three dolls came into the hangar Ronald didnt seem to care much, he watched them and hope if they were gona join his platoon they better be good, the 'Easy Eights' is the best and Ronald didnt like the idea about silly new guys running around doing friendly fire. But the red haired woman seemed nice, Ronald had a girlfriend with red hair once...

pants · Post by **pants** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:14 am

"My name is Con Alexander sergeant, and according to you guys I'm a Private"
Con then saluted in a military fashion exagerationg the movement and stepped back with a smile.

"Good to have you aboard Private Alexander," Nick gave him a quick once over, "and it's not 'you guys' it's 'us guys'. Your part of the marine corp now, which means everyone of your fellow marines is 'us' and everybody else is 'them'. All you have to remember is keep your weapon pointed at 'them' and trust 'us' at your back!"

Nick tried to remember what the new roster looked like. He wasn't entirely sure he had it memorised but he had a basic idea of the new squad lineups.

"Private Alexander you'll be assigned to first squad, my former squad, and you'll be with Privates First Class Honeysett and Green. Your new squadleader is Lt Cpl Screaming Eagle," and here Nick looked at the two remaining marines, "which is one of you two. Which one of you is Lt Cpl Screaming Eagle and which of you is Private Pyro?"

tashw · Post by **tashw** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:44 am

"Actually I do have a few questions concerning where we are getting deployed but it can wait till your briefing. It should only take a few minutes to finish this loading then I'll get the platoon organised and ready for the briefing. Where would you like to hold the briefing?" Nick asked the Lieutenant.

"I'll hold the briefing in the barracks. I suspect you'll have a few more questions after that," Eileen smiled slightly at that understatement as she considered the upcoming mission.

"However right now I need to talk to Priest and Lt Carson first," Eileen took a final look around the hangar, observing her new platoon, then turned back to Steel, "30 minutes, in the barracks. I'll leave you to it, Sergeant."

pants · Post by **pants** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:07 am

"30 minutes, in the barracks. I'll leave you to it, Sergeant."

"Sir! Yes sir!" replied Nick as he saluted the Lieutenant on her way.

Nick looked back to the two remaining unintroduced marines and got a quizzical expression on his face.

"I'll need you two to introduce yourselves, but I might as well get all three of you to introduce yourselves to the rest of the platoon at the same time so we can go into the briefing at least knowing the other guy's names."

The hangar had all of the platoon working to load the dropships, so it was a simple matter of yelling over the noise to get everybodys attention.

"Listen up marines! Finish up what your doing and come over here and meet the new guys."

Sergeant Steel waited for everyone to finish their tasks and assemble in a loose semi circle in front of him and the new recruits.

"These guys are the fresh meat. Once they've introduced themselves you'll have a few minutes to meet your new squad members then we have a briefing in the barracks in 30 minutes and I want everyone there and with their game faces on. We've got a new LT and we want to make a good first impression, show her why we are one of the best units in this, or any other, universe. Ok gentlemen take it away," said Nick as he regarded the new recruits.

Pale Rider · Post by **Pale Rider** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:02 pm

"Your new squadleader is Lt Cpl Screaming Eagle," and here Nick looked at the two remaining marines, "which is one of you two. Which one of you is Lt Cpl Screaming Eagle and which of you is Private Pyro?"

James started to speak up, but he stopped when he heard the LT speaking. He waited until she had finished speaking and then listened to the Sarge. He stood patiently in parade rest, giving the rest of the crew time to finish up their current duties.

"Ok gentlemen take it away," said Nick as he regarded the new recruits.

James snapped to attention at the words of the sergeatnt. "Lance Corporal James Screaming Eagle, reporting for duty, Sergeant!" He gave a smart salute. His jet black hair was trimmed high and tight in the four-finger regulation style. His uniform was crisply ironed with the creases sharp enough to cut paper with. The only discernible marking was a tribal tattoo on the right side of his neck. Around his neck a noted leather cord could be barely seen. He was slight of stature, but he had a wirey strength. He stared straight ahead as he had been trained. He hoped to God, that this unit would accept his practices of tribal traditions.

HeavyGlenn · Post by **HeavyGlenn** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:40 am

Ronald Green, our red haired hero and saver stood watching the new guys, he smiled slightly at them and hoped they were a bit more human later when they didnt need to act like dolls. As soon they were allowed to go he went straight to the barracks where he hoped to see a little more of the red haired woman.

And by god he hoped she had some irish blood.

Post by **Nick** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:17 am

Thirty minutes later the Marines of 8th Platoon gathered in the Barracks section of the dropship: Just infront of the cryo tubes. The tubes had been prepared by Priest and they now hummed slightly, white blocky characters of information glowed on a screen next to the tubes.

E.Vincent AQ-28812824-22, E.Carson GF-238823-23, D.Manny GF-245453-23, JS. Eagle DG-8238482-1, C.Alexander AF-823842-23, R.Green TP-8283423-99, J.Honeysett FG-7237423-02, T.Morrison HG-0322011-55, Z.Pyro JS-8238482-33, G.Gagarin HG-923423-09, D.Bojan RR-93432003-12

The Marines chatted lowly amongst themselves waiting for the Lieutenant to get ready. She was having the last words with Priest regarding the trip towards Thedus.

Pale Rider · Post by **Pale Rider** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:41 pm

James studied the tubes before them. He noticed that each one had a name and the grunts serial numbers. He had slept in one twice before when he had shipped to Boot Camp and then to his current location. He noticed that the fellow with the red hair was watching the newbies intently, especially the new LT. Walking over to him, James whispered,"She's not bad to look at is she? So what brought you into the Marines?"

StConstantine · Post by **StConstantine** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:22 am

"Nighty night tubes" laughed Con as he inspected the cryo tube.
"Well looky here, there's one all for my self."
Con turned to Lt Cpl Screaming Eagle.
"I geuss we're bunk neighbours birdy boy, i hope you dont snore..."

HeavyGlenn · Post by **HeavyGlenn** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:19 am

Ronald turned towards James, he laughed slightly and smiling before his face got deadly serious and leaned forward and whispered "Tell her and I gona kick your ass, if you dont tell her, then lets be friends" then he smiled again and winked before he grabbed the mans hand and shaked it well but friendly. "And I am a marine cause..." He stopped and thought for a long while before he kept on, our hero a bit slow. "I think its because no one else wants me, alone but happy. Well not that alone I got Jacod and Steel. Love them like brothers... I think I do at least" He finished with a loud laughter.

pants · Post by **pants** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:42 am

Nick looked around the room, watching his fellow marines checking out their individual cryo tubes and generally making small talk as they verbally felt each other out.

Looking at his own cryo tube didn't really affect him, some marines though couldn't help but be affected by the thought of being technically dead as they were transported across the vast distances involved when you went anywhere by space craft. It just made Nick kind of feel sleepy.

"Alright marines, listen up cause the Lieutenant is going to brief us. Save all your questions till after she's finished the briefing. And remember there is no such thing as a stupid question, if you feel you don't have the grasp of something speak up after the LT is finished so we don't have you wondering what your meant to be doing during the mission," Nick looked at the Lieutenant and gave her a brief nod, "the platoon is ready sir!"