Turn 1 Rifle Squad

Post by **Nick** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:15 am

Date: 17th August, 2080AD, 1800 UT
Location: Barnard's Star, PT-554
Operation: Training Op

The USS Costaguana majestically floated through space, The impressive grey mass of the spaceship was effectively dwarfed by the green planet beneath her. The light from the nearby red dwarf, Barnard's Star, cast a bloodlike hue over the scene. A green diamond, or so she had been described, PT-554 also known as Athena. A lush green jungle planet, terraformed over hundred years ago. The climate moist and varm over most of the sphere with temperate zones at the poles. The two settlements there was abandoned twenty years ago, new plans for a farming colony are being drawn. In the meanwhile the planet serves as a training ground for the Colonial Marines.

Onboard.
Empty locker doors swung softly as the USS Costaguana shifted her course, the automatic computer bringing her into orbit above the green planet. Two fans started whining and with a clicking noise the relays to the cryo tubes was activated. Names flickered past in the tired display, name, rank, serial number, cryo tube number. The lightpanels in the roof came alive, some fluttering for a few seconds - As if hesitating before becoming bright shining squares. With a subtle humming sound the lids of the cryo tubes rose.

The Marines of 8th Platoon was out on a mission again.

Apachetear · Post by **Apachetear** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:07 am

Sleepily opening his eyes, Jacob sat up. He hated those things, all the sleep you could need - but no real rest...

moving sluggishly, he had pins and needles in all his limbs - and he stamped on the floor and waved his arms about uselessly until feeling returned to his body.

Sitting down on a chair near the exit of the room, he fumbled around for a cigarette and tried several times before managing to light it...

As he smoked, he woke up more and more...suddenly he sat up slightly, this was to be his first mission in command of a squad! Jim Screaming Eagle had been tasked with spearheading that recon squad... "lucky guy" Jacob mumbled sarcastically - he could think of nothing worse than being sent in BEFORE the cannon fodder...

looking around he blew a smoke ring into the air, then tried...and failed...to blow a smaller one through the middle. Laughing at himself he carried on smoking normally - waiting for the others to awake.

StConstantine · Post by **StConstantine** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:43 pm

PVT Con Alexander's cryo tube clicked open and he stumbled out, almost tripping over the cords and cables running along the bottom. Once again he was on a "top secret" mission with the easy eights, this time to some back water star covered in jungle with no cities and civilisation.

Stumbling around trying to get his bearings Con almost tripped over Jacob Honeysett, his new squad leader. "How are you Jacob?" Con asked rubbing sleep out of his eyes "ready for a new campaign?"

Sitting down next to him Con looked around the room he couldn't help notice the lack of his friend Daniel Bojan his old squad leader James Screaming Eagle. He had been told that they were somewhere down on the planet preparing for the arrival of the main body of easy eights. He felt sorry for James, having to function while only a few months earlier he had been fighting for his life in the medical bay of the Costaguana.

As he pulled on his boots Con realised the only piece of equipment he had was his combat knife in its boot sheath. "What sort of equipment are we getting for this campaign?" he asked Honeysett, finishing lacing up his boots. "and are they better at killing those damn aliens?".

Those damn aliens had been haunting almost every one of Con's dreams, he had seen the ships phsyciatrist, just like every other marine who had been on the Andromeda, but it hadn't helped him at all. Every night he would wake up thinking a giant bug like alien was attempting to rip him limb from limb, it had gotten so bad that at some points he had resorted to sleeping pills or heavy drinking to be able to sleep at all.

All he could now though was wait for every one to get ready and for his briefing.

Apachetear · Post by **Apachetear** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:45 pm

StConstantine wrote: "How are you Jacob?" Con asked rubbing sleep out of his eyes "ready for a new campaign?"

"Ready as I'll ever be..." Jacob grinned at him amiably "Enjoy your sleep? Next time I think I'll put on a nicotine patch..." Winking and grinning, Jacob stood up to stretch.

StConstantine wrote: "What sort of equipment are we getting for this campaign?" he asked Honeysett, finishing lacing up his boots. "and are they better at killing those damn aliens?".

I'm hoping it'll be weapons free, if it is - what weapon are you most comfortable with? Pulse rifle? Green's got Smartgun - it's worked for him so far...last mission - who wouldn't've panicked?" Speaking nonchalantly, Jacob worried still - what if Green froze up again? who would support squad one?

"By the way, Con, I don't know what shitstorm'll occur if people discover those documents we signed have been breached by discussion of it...so, at least when with me, don't mention those things unless they're in our vision."

There was a new guy in first squad as well, a real all american...Jacob wondered how he handled in combat - as squad leader he'd have to bite back on treating him as fresh meat - if that thought was in a squaddie's head it led to unfriendly thoughts, in a squad leaders head it could lead to unfriendly orders...and he'd be damned if his first mission in command of something was going to be a bumpy ride.

"Con, round of drinks says this goes without a hitch?" He laughed, extending his hand to make a bet.

AstroBoy · Post by **AstroBoy** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:01 am

"How long before the rest of the Easy Eights arrive," his fingers flew with subtle movements.

Bojan shrugged in response to Eagle's question. "I don't know sir, a few hours i suppose"

Being outside while training was nice even with the humidity, much better than being in space, fighting what they had last month. Being in recon was a good step forward and Bojan was enjoying the challenge.

Bojan continued ahead with the rest of his squad.

StConstantine · Post by **StConstantine** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:04 am

"Con, round of drinks says this goes without a hitch?" He laughed, extending his hand to make a bet.

"Sure thing" Con said extending his arm and shaking Jacob's hand.

"And also i'm probably most comfortable with just a pulse rifle and maybe some grenades if we can get any, and i wouldn't mind trying out an incinerator unit. Also i was wondering if i can get myself a side arm, never know when you might need one. Actually thinking about it i wouldnt mind some of those M108 Canister (Buckshot) round that i read about, or some M60 White Phosphorous Incendiary round of we are gonna be in the jungle"

HeavyGlenn · Post by **HeavyGlenn** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:01 am

Ronald stretched and crawled out of his little tube, he shivered on the cold floor and quickly hurried to put on at least some socks and boots, he only nodded at the others and had turned rather silent because of a certain mission, in the beginning he had been plauged by nightmares but these days all was... "fine".

Apachetear · Post by **Apachetear** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:35 am

StConstantine wrote: "And also i'm probably most comfortable with just a pulse rifle and maybe some grenades if we can get any, and i wouldn't mind trying out an incinerator unit. Also i was wondering if i can get myself a side arm, never know when you might need one. Actually thinking about it i wouldnt mind some of those M108 Canister (Buckshot) round that i read about, or some M60 White Phosphorous Incendiary round of we are gonna be in the jungle"

"Incinerator unit in a jungle? I'll run it by Nick...if you do have the incinerator, you'll be carrying your pulse rifle too y'know - I'm not comfortable with someone relying on fire to stay alive...Buckshot rounds, if it's weapons free then go for it - phosphorous though...again jungle...I'll run it by Nick" yawning, even though he'd just woken up, Jacob looked around and noticed Green

"In the land of the living Ron? Up for a cuppa when everyone else awakes?" He called over. Green hadn't quite been the same since that mission...but as far as Jacob was concerned he was the same person.

HeavyGlenn · Post by **HeavyGlenn** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:35 pm

"Yes please and a pancake too" Ronald said and smiled slightly at Jacob. "You bring it to the bed for me?" He laughed a bit and threw on a bit more clothes, he hated to freeze.

Apachetear · Post by **Apachetear** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:41 pm

HeavyGlenn wrote:"Yes please and a pancake too" Ronald said and smiled slightly at Jacob. "You bring it to the bed for me?" He laughed a bit and threw on a bit more clothes, he hated to freeze.

Chuckling Jacob retorted..."I'm your squad-mate...not your mother Ron...though I wonder if the canteen does pancakes, sounds like it could be nice"

by now he was in his uniform...he couldn't wait until he felt the comfortable fit of his body armour - still complete with faded smily faces...now turned a dark brown compared to the bright red they had been when he'd first got them.

Looking at Con 'n' Green he glanced at the other cryo-chambers

"We gonna make the new guy feel at home? I think we should, I don't want a knife in my back because I made him have all the crap details..."

pants · Post by **pants** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:43 am

Date: 17th August, 2080AD, 1815 UT
Location: Barnard's Star, PT-554, USS Costaguana, Cryo Room
Operation: Training Op

Gradually coming awake, Steel was aware of the cryo tube around him as awareness returned. Sitting up slowly he could make out a few of the marines already up and moving about. He could make out snatches of conversation as they talked amongst themselves.

Getting out of his tube Nick looked around at those marines still in their tubes.

"Alright sleepy heads on your feet! You're not getting paid to lie around all day! Lets see who's awake, sound off when you hear your name!

"L Cpl Honeysett, Pfc Green, Pvt Blackhawk, Pvt Alexander, L Cpl Morrison, Pvt Shepherd, Pvt Thomas!"

StConstantine · Post by **StConstantine** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:45 am

Looking at Con 'n' Green he glanced at the other cryo-chambers

"We gonna make the new guy feel at home? I think we should, I don't want a knife in my back because I made him have all the crap details..."

"Ok, so who is new in out squad? I heard it was some yank or something"

"Oh yeah I think we may have a new female in our ranks, maybe to keep our brave leutenant company"

"Alright sleepy heads on your feet! You're not getting paid to lie around all day! Lets see who's awake, sound off when you hear your name!

"L Cpl Honeysett, Pfc Green, Pvt Blackhawk, Pvt Alexander, L Cpl Morrison, Pvt Shepherd, Pvt Thomas!"

"Yep, right here sarge" Con said hearing his name called "and I wouldn't mind a cuppa or something as well"

HeavyGlenn · Post by **HeavyGlenn** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:44 am

Im awake, im awake shouted Ronald just as he pulled the zippers up.

Apachetear · Post by **Apachetear** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:18 am

"Y'alright Sarge?" Grinned Jacob. Now he was awake he was in a fantastic mood - it was the calm before the storm...and he intended to have as much calm as possible.

Jocke · Post by **Jocke** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:35 pm

pants wrote:"Alright sleepy heads on your feet! You're not getting paid to lie around all day! Lets see who's awake, sound off when you hear your name!

"L Cpl Honeysett, Pfc Green, Pvt Blackhawk, Pvt Alexander, L Cpl Morrison, Pvt Shepherd, Pvt Thomas!"

Shaking his head in disbeleif, Morrison hurried to get himself dressed.

How hard can it be to get it right?

"Sergeant, for the last, bloody time- I am a corporal, not a lance. Call me lance one more time..." Morrison exhaled, blowing a heavy flow of air from his mouth "...and I'm going to have to spank you. Are we clear, Sergeant?"

Morrison then gave the Sergeant a 100-watt smile, before he walked off to see how his squad was coming along.