USCMRPG

Wilks and Creed made their way through the sleeping Xenos towards the APC. They were so elated at being alive neither one registered the vibrations until it was too late. The big queen reached out and grasped Creed in her lone working claw. She raised the frightened man to her massive head, her lips pealing back in a snarl. Her vocalization sounding like steam escaping. Looking around at the sleeping Xenos she roared and her inner jaws snaked forward pulverizing Creed's face. Slinging the corpse away it bounced off the windshield of the APC.
The queen struck out with her right foot, Wilks flew screaming through the air landing in a heap among a mound of sleeping Xenos. He scrambled to his feet to run when his eyes bugged out of his head twin tail spikes crossed in his belly as the Xenos begain to awaken. Suddenly he is torn in twain, his upper body falling one way as his legs took three shuffling steps before collapsing.

<Actions>

Quinn, who had grabbed Oksana and pulled her into the relative safety of the APC, typed furiously on the keys of the vehicle's tactical console. The twin-linked plasma cannon turret swung around and settled on the xeno's midsection.

With a look of cold fury, the Lieutenant stabbed the firing button.

Sal watched as the LT brought the Civilian Doctor back into the APC, what she was doing here, and what help she brought, Sal couldn't figure. The look of things, though, she'd been tying up the LT with baby sitting when he might have been-

Suddenly two more marines flatlined and Sal swore as there camera's showed the bugs already waking up. "Two down," Sal said aloud, "WIlks, and also Creed," He read the names off their now KIA transmissions.

Slag that previous line of thought, he grumbled internally, as Quinn reached over Pitt's shoulder and executed a more precise volley of turret attacks.

"Momma Bitch is dragging the kids outta bed!" Sal roared over the radio, "Nap time's cancelled!" He added into the comms.

"Hey," Sal asked aloud, "Lieutenant, Can we link the Snakefighter's weapons to the APC?" He didn't know how well the two vehicles would get along, but it was all the same tech, when you got down to it. "We run, point the turret ass ways and the missiles fall on the bugs?"

<Relay situation to team>
<Make a crazy suggestion>

Roberts saw the bloody corpse hit the window. He had thought everyone was inside. His stomach bottomed out, in fear of who that was.

"Two down," Sal said aloud, "WIlks, and also Creed," He read the names off their now KIA transmissions.

"God damn it!" he shouted. Only just then did it hit him. Both men in his squad had died. He couldn't save them. Half of his brain wanted to blame himself. The other half, trained by years of therapy, told him that he couldn't control everything and he had done the best he could. This had happened before; that was why he'd left the Corps for so many years.

Eric was glad that Lieutenant Quinn had overridden his weapons controls. He sat back in his seat and let out a long breath. He decided to guilt trip himself later, for now he would focus. But then thoughts of Creed came back to him. The young guy had been so confident and full of ideas, just like he had been. Roberts had tried to warn him, but it didn't make a difference. At least Duncan knew the risks. He had been quiet and professional since Eric had met him. Creed's death hurt worse for some reason. Eric was the last one to talk to Creed and Wilks, Duncan too for that matter. He had barked orders at all of them... but he was trying to save their lives.

"Later," he said out loud to himself. He reloaded his pulse rifle.

Dirk, Giosso, Sam, and the remains of Duncan made a quick retreat to the rooftop. They were forced to watch the devastating assault on Creed and Wilks. The Snakefighter was hurtling in fast the goal to.make a hovering dust off from the rooftop.

All of the Eights were either in the APC or now awaiting to be picked up.

The smaller Xenos began to stream into the Tower. First count puts the number at 100.
<Actions>

Colson finished up staunching the bleeding from Eyeball's wound. The armour had taken the brunt of the damage, a huge rent torn down it's length. Eyeball would take some time to recover and would have one hell of a scar but he was alive.

Turning to the other two marines he lisped "Ipf he waketh; don't lept him thrath about." He instructed. He then sat down heavily against a bulkhead. The adrenaline finally worn off and left him feeling like a boneless. Slumped against the bulkhead he put his head into his hands."Thuck me, my moupth hurth like hell." Colson moaned.

Looking up he saw Morse cradling his arm. "You neeb halp with thath Morth?" Colson asked, trying to find something to take his mind off what he had just been through.

<Tag Morse

Samantha had mutely shaken Dirk's hand when the veteran non-com had spoken simple but heartfelt thanks and words of friendship. She did the same with Giosso; saying; "Well done Mark; you're one hell of a fine marine."

She had picked up Duncan's body and slung it over her shoulder in a fire-man's carry as they moved to the roof; letting Dirk and Mark struggle with the larger body of Louis. When they got to the roof; she had to watch the horrifying sight of poor Creed and Wilks meet their ends and could do nothing more than let out a heartfelt; "I really, really hate this shit sometimes fellas"; in a sad, exhausted voice.

Snapping back to reality upon seeing the vast horde of creatures pouring towards the Tower; she glanced anxiously over at the Snakefighter while willing it to get close enough to board while slipping a grenade into her free right hand for throwing at the doorway to the roof if the xenos got that close....

<Tag Dirk and Giosso>

Moving around the cargo bay dealing with his arm. He hated sitting still when it came to dealing with almost anything, and painful situations fit very well into that point. Though they were likely to be at a place where they could deal with it soon enough, Morse had not heard the status of the others in quite some time as far as battlefield minutes went.

And knowing that they still may well have their combat efficiency continue to be tested, he opted for a very quick fix. He found a small copper pipe on a rack in the cargo bay, a rag, and some duct tape along with it. He made quick work of his arm, making a very basic splint. It was a rather painful process which resulted in him swearing, which was normal for anyone in that circumstance.

He came back around to check to see how the other two marines were handling Colson. Morse found it fortunate that they three marines that were there and conscious were all rated to administer medical aid. Still Morse was leaving it to Colson to deal with Eyeball. Hearing his point of not letting him thrash about Morse had an easy point.

”Lookin’ at that gash, I’m figurin’ his ass aint gon’ wanna move fer a month.” Morse pointed out, not sure how such a wound would play out.

He let Colson move away, while he himself remained somewhere between him and the wrecked buggy. He adjusted his arm and tried to make the splint a little more comfortable, when he heard Colson ask him about it.

”Na, just a snap n’ shit.” Morse replied. ”Aint mucha shit to do with it. You on the other hand. Yer visit from the tooth fairy whats called the battlefield seems to have fucked you good. You got at least a cash dollar commin’ yer way fer that.” Morse commented. ”Least the corps’ll fix yer broken ass limey teeth.” Morse finished with a personally offensive statement, as he always found.

< Tag Colson

But then his thoughts came back to the fact that they were still in a hotzone and not nearly all accounted for.

”This’s Morse. Requestin’ status update. Were good to go n’ yer asses aint in here yet. What’s happenin’ down there?” Morse requested to anyone who was still on the ground.

< Tag Anyone

Sal was glad that the APC doors were closed again, but He would have really like it if the APC was going much faster than it was.

//This's Morse// A familiar voice came over the APC comms, // Requestin’ status update. Were good to go n’ yer asses aint in here yet. What’s happenin’ down there?” //

Sal strapped into the comm chair and looked over his shoulder at Lt. Quinn, if he wanted to add something, Sal supposed he would.

"Morse," Sal began, "It's Martian," Fuck it, own the slag, "Everyone is in the APC, on top of the tower," He looked at a screen he thought was a top down readout of the area, "And If I believe the Snakefighter is coming in for a dust and dash pick up of the latter group."

He paused if Quinn wanted to speak up here.

"I'd get ready to repel boarder, tower's filling up faster than a doxy during liberty."

Dirk watched helplessly as Creed and Wilks were torn apart. The platoon had lost more men in this operation then on almost any other, and it wasn't over yet. Looking down the side of the tower he saw the creatures pouring into the tower by the hundreds. It wouldn't take the things to fill the tower and make their way up the the roof and overrun the three Marines waiting.

Cursing silently he watched the Snakefighter on approach. It was a race now. They needed to be on the ship and far enough away to avoid being boarded. It all depended on how fast the Sankefighter got there.

"Snakefighter, this is Pitt. You better hurry with the evac. We have a lot of guests on the way up here."
<Tag Snakefighter>

"Sam, Giosso. Eyes on the door. I'll try to weld it shut, not that it will hold for long. Giosso, your on the boat first. Lay down cover fire for Sam and I as we get on. Sam your next. I'll bring up the rear."
<Tag Sam and Giosso>

Running over to the door, Dirk closed it tight and pulled out the portable welder. He hadn't had much luck before but maybe his luck would change. Starting at the top he started to weld the door shut, ready to get away when he was done or he could here the creatures coming up the stairs.

(Roll portable welder and awareness)

Seeing Dirk break out the welder; Sam nodded a bit in appreciation that the senior Non Comm had a welder on him. Hearing his order; Samantha spoke up; "I don't mean to sound insubordinate Top; but is it okay if we toss Duncan and Louis on first?"

She kept an anxious eye on the incoming Snakefighter while shifting Duncan's body to a slightly more comfortable position on her shoulder and using the sling to position the Pulse Rifle for some awkward one-handed/braced on sling firing if needed and pointed it at the door.

<Tag Dirk and Giosso>

“Sir.” Mark replied, not sure what else to say to Dirk. Coming from the senior marine, the statement had brought to Giosso a warm feeling akin to parental approval and. He continued to smile when Sam praised his work. For a moment, he forgot his exhaustion and almost forgot he was in a tower surrounded by extremely dangerous alien life. The departure didn’t last long.

Mark glanced at his wrist when Dirk indicated they should make for the roof. The Intelligence unit was still downloading information off the chief admin’s computer system. It listed an unknown time remaining. Giosso sighed and tapped the cancel before withdrawing the connector cable and securing it to his arm. He could only hope they might have gotten lucky enough to get some information on that gas weapon for next time. Shaking his head, he synched his hip belt down unnecessarily and took off after Sam and Dirk for the roof.

Once up on the roof, thing took a turn for the stressful again quickly as it became apparent the xenos might not afford them the time to gracefully extract before waking up and trying to kill them again. Some were already heading for the tower again. Mark looked over at the maintenance hatch door they’d come up through. If only he could keep them in. An idea came to him. He was about to mention it when Dirk announced he was going to weld the door shut.

“Let me try and find some scrap to reinforce it with, sir.” Mark said, jumping to the second half of his suggestion. He pulled out his tools and quickly examined the standard rooftop HVAC and other equipment for easily removable metal beams or similar.

<Salvage/unbolt scrap metal>

(Edited: Totally ninjad by Dirk and Sam.)

With a roar all of it's own the APC came.to life spitting defiantly at the queen. Twin Gatling guns spat out death. The rounds slammed into weakened carapice spraying acid and chunks of chitanous material through the air. With a final massive swing of it's tail she rocked the APC sideways before she collapsed.
The smaller xenos stopped and began to mill around suddenly unsure what actions to take next. They raised their individual heads collectively as the Snakefighter settled on the rooftop. Quickly loading up the Snakefighter lifted and turned towards the Firebase.

<ACTIONS>

The APC jumped when the queen hit it with her tail. Eric clenched the base of his seat for balance. But the queen went down, dead. Before long they were headed back to base. Roberts stood up and walked back to where the others were gathered. He put his hand on Sal's shoulder and looked at the monitors. Four were flat-lined. He shook his head in disbelief. "Good job, Private," he said to Sal, who was looking medium-rare. "Those other guys froze up, and you acted. May well've saved us all, too. Oh, and, what's your name again?"

<Tag Sal>

Then, speaking to the group in general, "This is why they shouldn't send us guys right out of basic," he said, referencing the dead rookies.

<Tag anyone in APC>

The APC suddenly was up on two wheels, Sal let out a roar and defiantly slammed his foot down, as if it would matter. The APC did fall back on all fours and it time for it to peel off through the foliage, hopefully in the direction of the firebase.

The other marine, besides the LT, he had a lance corporal's rank and put his hand on his shoulder, which got a wince out of Sal but nothing else.

"Salazar Boothe," He sat back as he pinched bridge of his nose, "Straight out of basic." He added with just a touch of anger, "Of course, I don't recall the part in basic were it said we' be fighting Lucifer's own ant farm." He shrugged.

He hadn't fully been paying attention, but as it was? Something like this didn't surprise him. Nature favored the strong to survive, not the smart or the empathetic. Those fuckers back there were mighty strong.

"Booth to Marines on Snakefighter," Sal said into the comm, "Baring other orders, I want the wounded arranged in order of severity for treatment. Over" He leaned back and looked at LT, "My finger's are all still here so I might as well do the job I was assigned", He tapped the medic patch on his shoulder.