USCMRPG

Date: 17th August, 2080AD, 2100 UT
Location: Barnard's Star, PT-554, The cave
Operation: Training Op
Mission timer: 04:15

The scouts moved first to the eastern edge of the cave, nearing the small outlet of the stream. Cautiously the moved into the stream - The water in the stream was cold and like jaws of steel the freezing water gripped onto the skin of the marines. Supressing a shiver Eagle moved first - A quick handsignal to the other recon made them file into a single column behind him.

The stream was perhaps one meter deep and at most three meters wide. The outlet of the cave was a mere 30 cm above the surface of the water. Chilled to the core the marines dipped down and exited through the outlet. Immidiately after the outlet the roof opened back up again in a wider tunnel. There was a considerable draft of air as they exited the larger cave.

The far side of the tunnel disappeared in the distance, far beyond what the flashlights could reach.

Water dripped continuously from the roof and struck the water below, resonating through the cave. Except from the purling of the water and the soft howling of the wind all was silent.

James scanned the locale carefully, alert to the fact that anything living in the cave would have a better ability at seeing in the dark than he would. He signaled for the rest of recon to hold their position and then he moved deeper into the cavern, making certain that all was clear.


“Sarge and Corporal Honeysett, I believe we may have an active way out. Would suggest letting Recon verify that it is a safe, but we have entered another cavern coming through the waterway. Sarge, what are your orders?â€

Dar followed Eagle through the chilling water, and into the cavern.

[quote]“Okay Marines, its time for us to earn our pay. I want this cavern inspected. If you locate anything out of the ordinary I want to know about. Do Not, I repeat Do Not loose eye contact of your partner, and please stay within arms reach of one another.â€

[quote=""Pale Rider""]
“Sarge and Corporal Honeysett, I believe we may have an active way out. Would suggest letting Recon verify that it is a safe, but we have entered another cavern coming through the waterway. Sarge, what are your orders?â€

"Are we good to follow you in recon? I don't want to split up for longer than necessary in this dark...would these Nightvision goggles help your search as well?"

"That is an affirmative Honeysett, go ahead and bring your squad through into the secondary cavern. We can use the opportunity to get the area thoroughly searched. We will take the left hand side of the cavern, you guys can take the right hand side. No point in recon getting all the fun."

James continued his investigation of the cavern pulling his squad to the left hand side of the cavern.

"Blackhawk what have we got on the motion tracker?"

"Nothing yet Sarge" was commed over to Sarge Steel.



Thoughts went through his mind as he kept an eye on the scanner while checking out the items. He just wanted some clue as to what happened here. Just something small. His curiousity was getting to him and he was itching for answers.

The cave seemed completely empty. But if you looked closely there where more drawings. The drawings were, however, blurredand distorted - Most likely not restored.

"Sir, permission to scout out some of the drawings where the restoration seemed to stop" was squawked over the com as his eyes tried to get a view on the drawings more.

Ronald yawned but coughed as he felt the ciggarrette smoke, he glared angrily at Jacob but decided to not talk to him about it. Hoping the man had just noticed the burning glare of hatred for smoke. Ronald hated smoking, mostly because his father had been smoking they day in the car crash. Which many blamed is why Ronald is a bit behind the others.

He walked next to Jacob all the time but in a safe distance so he wasnt to affected by the cancer brining murdering death smoke. For a moment Ronald forgot about aliens, humans with guns and stuff like that. Thinking on why they hadnt forbidden that crap called Tobacco.

"John, go along - but take a buddy with you, I reccomend Con...find anything interesting let me know, find anything boring...don't bother telling me..."



Inhaling his smoke, he looked at Green's obvious distaste for his habit.

"I know you hate smoking Green, after this one I won't have another for a while...don't worry - if it makes it any easier for you I can try and get you issued with a rebreather to purify the air when your around me..."



The way he said it - nobody could be certain if he was joking or being serious...Jacob didn't even know how serious he was himself

"That is an affirmative Honeysett, go ahead and bring your squad through into the secondary cavern. We can use the opportunity to get the area thoroughly searched. We will take the left hand side of the cavern, you guys can take the right hand side. No point in recon getting all the fun."

Nick glanced around at the rest of first squad. They were scanning the darkness around them with Pvt Blackhawk constantly monitoring the motion tracker.

"You heard the man Honeysett, let's follow Recon through the outlet and find out what's on the other side. Although I gotta admit that I hope that water isn't freezing. The last thing I need to worry about is getting hypothermia down here."

"Nothing yet Sarge" was commed over to Sarge Steel.

"That's good to hear Blackhawk but don't lose focus. We could run into anything down here and I want you to give us as much warning as you can," replied Nick to the raven haired marine.

pants wrote: "You heard the man Honeysett, let's follow Recon through the outlet and find out what's on the other side. Although I gotta admit that I hope that water isn't freezing. The last thing I need to worry about is getting hypothermia down here."

"Right you are sarge..." Jacob had had a brief lapse in memory...why hadn't they followed Jim?

"Alright squad 1...we're following recon through, I'm taking point - and starting with Green and ending with Con form up behind me...I apologise for the cold water, as I'm sure it is freezing!"

Moving towards the entrance, Jacob made to move up into the next cave - he hoped there was nothing recon hadn't found...

"Wait, a rewhat? YOu can keep that shit and stop smoking you bimbo, smoking is for women and we all know how women are." Said Ronald loudly and clearly as he want into position and moved on, if there something Ronald hated more then smoking it seemed to be women for some unknown reason.

HeavyGlenn wrote:"Wait, a rewhat? YOu can keep that shit and stop smoking you bimbo, smoking is for women and we all know how women are."

Looking round sharply, Jacob's eyes blazed. He'd been trying to be friendly, he'd offered a solution to the problem - and he'd been nothing but sincere and polite, he didn't need this abuse. The tension of the mission was bad enough without Green, his first friend in this squad along with Nick...and now he was turning on him like this...

Snapping at him Jacob retorted

"At the end of the day Green, my habit is allowed in the USCM, you have a problem with that - tough shit...there are smokers in every regiment - and well, you'll suffer wherever your placed in this force. It's your job to die in godforsaken parts of the universe at the hands of whatever we deem necessary to kill. You're gonna die anyway, by bullet or claw - and well, second hand smoke is the least of your worries. Understand?"

Jacob turned back and prepared to make headway into the caveway. He felt a bit bad for snapping like that, Green was only just coming out of his shell again after that mission - but hell - there was a time and a place for anti-smoking arguments, and on an op...even a training op...was neither the time nor the place!

Stubbing out his fag before entering the water, Jacob silently fumed. Woe betide any enemy in the next room...




(Fag is an english term for cigarette incase anyone from America thought I meant a gay person)

Bzzzt....


...bzzzt.