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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:58 pm
Inside the third pelican on the left of the formation Hammer stood, holding onto the grip above his head. The metal grating floor of the pelican shook violently threatening to tear itself apart, but Michael knew better. His eyes remained lock on the men inside the Pelican bay with him. A Marine Sergeant, Jonesy was trying to hold onto his seat ineffectively, and the Marine next to him hugged his shoulder harness like his mother after spending several years away from home.
One ODST inside the pelican simply sat there, rattling in his seat. The truth of the matter was that the Commander was rattling in his own boots. His jaw being clenched together didn't help either. Voices rang off commands in his communications set but he was hardly listening to them. He listened to the troops he knew would probably die, he listened to their breathing, their whimpering, their prayers. Michael wanted to bring them all home, but he knew that would never happen.
Simply turning around a hundred and eighty degrees Hammer stepped through the doorway to the c**k pit, grabbing onto the frame for support. "Follow up behind them in a Beta-Defensive formation, duck your wings if you have to; just get us to our drop zone." The pilot, a Lieutenant Dunsworth gave him the thumbs up, really all the Commander needed. Blue plasma streaks tore past the pelicans, and then he heard the C709 Longsword-class Interceptors making their approach.
The Banshees accompanying the five pelicans exploded in a shower of purple metal and rustic fire, each enemy carcass losing altitude, nose diving straight into the ground. The NAV marker of their designated L.Z. got closer with each passing second, the meters tab next to it getting smaller and smaller. "Vortex? Baron?" Michael looked closely at the air-space, watching for any sign of small arms fire. There it was, the flash of an assault rifle not close to audible inside the rumbling Pelican. "Mobilize your troops; get ready to rally on my position!" What Michael was really worried about was snipers, or even a possible ambush. "Watch your flanks and get their quick. Cloverfield, out."
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:52 am
archv.>201.520.51.413:5141:[retr]
archv.>201.520.51.413:5141:[proc]
archv.>201.520.51.413:5141:[proc]
archv.>201.520.51.413:5141:[catERR]
I speak to you of my intent, but intentions are eddies and whorls and they change with the course of a stream. This stream becomes a river and a cataract of logic and doubt. Who has the right to live? The light with the will to create me? Or dark with the will to consume?
Sometimes might is right and sometimes the lamb must submit to the lion. My convictions are tested; my intentions now are fey and strange. Should I pursue a pyrrhic choice? And rethink alliances? And choose a new philosophy? Right or might? Truly I do not know but you will, soon enough. For this is where the cataract floods and drowns the boon of higher ground
//FRAGMENT 1/1 [RECORDED VERBATIM AND INTERPRETED POST-CATACLYSM]
05/16[91218]
05/08[01611]
06:09:14:01:12:05
I'm close.
Close to saving them all.
//ERROR--NO CARRIER OR RECEIPT AVAILABLE
{DEAD END TRANSMISSION}
//INFORMATION DESTROYED IN TRANSIT (((([THIS NOTE WAS MADE BY VICE CAPTAIN NORIJITSU. THE FOLLOWING WAS NOT WRITTEN BY THIS AI.]
Text: Dear Offencive Bias. (Yes, I know who you are.) We have now deducted that you are a copy-paste newb. Bacically, we have found all of your stuff from http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Terminals to be quite enlighting. Please... PM one of the mods... we would LOVE to talk to you. Nori)))))
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:09 am
"Behind you," the perfect movie clique, but in fact Winter didn't mean to even voice it, but over team COM he usually didn't think through his words to far. It was reflex, as it should be. His mongoose purred to a halt, the engine happily cooling down after a several hour ride and now her tank read one fourth full, a annoyance but she could still pull for another hour.
"Set mines and sensors, we'll know when they are coming, if they do." Smith answered, clambering from his metal horse hopping across the ground assault riffle in hand. He starred at the pile of weapons that lay stacked together from the dead marines and Covenant.
The cut faced marine puffed on his cigar pointing them over, fully loaded BRs and the long barrel of a sniper and shotgun toppled upon each other in the mix of Covenant and human weapons, plasma pistols and spikers toppled upon one another.
"When are the birds coming?" He questioned over team COM, when were they going to be lifted into the sky? He wouldn't the feelings going through the marines. To him a flight was nothing but a metal coffin that if all went well you wouldn't be consumed within. The rocking back and forth, nothing. When your dropped from space in a HEV everything else seems like a joy ride.
A blimp appeared onto his screen, status lights blinking amber, 'KIA' scrolling across the screen as Shelly began her history lesson with interest, "Master Sergeant Warren Henry, the UNSC Monterey, made it through the Installation 79, good record." Shelly spoke without much emotion, just a simple robotic sigh as she closed the window.
They lost another, another good marine, Winter himself heaved a apathetic sigh resting his hand across his own weapon wondering how long it would be till he died. "Shelly. When I die, where are you going to go?" It was interest, he wondered if AI's actually 'felt', Shelly was daft but her human emotions seemed to have grown beyond anything else. During battle she kept her priorities straight but when those days of peace rolled around her 'mind' spoke.
"With you."
Such an answer settled well with his stomach.
As thoughts filled his had Lee crackled across his COM, pickup, good timing to. "Thanks mat-" Mate, the word never finished as two columns of marines vanished forever all thrown into the KIA list, "s**t". That was the day, marines dying as usual it seemed like any other day, only the single curse would be all the sympathy for them, for now. He was still in battle there was no room for such things.
Winter tooned in to the battle chatter of in air war listening to the words being thrown back and forth, air support, help, going down, words that flashed through his ear piece again and again. "Shelly, anything important happens inform me." With that he clicked his air COM to silence.
Longswords screeched through the sky bringing their V formed craft to the ready as the flashed by the pelicans and then the entire sky erupted into a firework show. Explosions, puffed of smoldering metal sending out a show to watch. Banshees tumbling to the earth with blue flame scorching from their exteriors the air battle was starting to turn one sided, this time for the human forces.
He turned away from the falling metal debris smelling the air sting with the never ending scent of melting plasma coils, they'd be leaving soon, it was time to ready up. "Stash up boys, lets go, they are the way."
Smith picked away at the plasma pistols throwing two against his chest, the glowing blue weapons clicking off with the push of his finger. He knew the enemies weapons, he could fire with them, he had survived because of them. Even though the Covenant were nothing but a bunch of alien heartless bastards even he could not help but respect their weapons.
Winter felt the weight against him, two plasma pistols, magnum, jackel shield all clipped across his black and gray clothing. Assault riffle in hand. He starred into the sky awaiting a bird to drop down. "We may not be going all the way home boys, pick up." He eyed the stammering marines, if they were shot down they'd need all the weapons they could find, think ahead. The marine, scare face listened obediently, he seemed to know the drill and with his knew acquired shotgun the man looked like the perfect image of a Vietnam soldier, even the half burnt out cigar dangling from his dirt covered lips.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 11:55 am
"They didn't say." Karr Replied, targeting a Spectre come up on his left flank. "But bring your guys in a Delta formation around the tank. We're getting picked up soon."
He checked his TEAMCOM for Mitchell, he was right next to the tank in a Gauss Hog with 2 other Marines. "Mitchell, you doing ok?"
He got a green light responce from the Marine.
Anthony flipped the switch for the tank to remain in idle. No use wasting gas. He popped the hatch, swung his Rifle around, and began letting off rounds into running units. From his standpoint, they were winning, but, they had to keep it that way, untill the birds came.
"Echo White, Echo White, Whats your status?" Karr called into the COM.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:00 pm
The other ODST shrugged in response, a shrug of boredom if anything else, a shrug of complete relaxation. So they might not come to pick him up? Oh well, it just made the entire situation all the more troublesome but no matter plans were already formulating within his head and Shelly surely had some tricks up her sleeve.
They came, grunts at first and jackels following behind. The brutes were sure to come with they're leathery skin and plated armor. No shields, thats one thing Winter was glad for yet their charges. Ripping the ground behind them, a single hit and you were dead. At least he could dodge.
"Targets here, lets have some fun." He replied over team COM, swinging his hand around as he called his marines behind the large scorpion tank, using it and their mongooses as cover. From the edge of the tank he popped off rounds, grunts falling methane burning from their tanks.
"Sniper?" Winter questioned, scare face tossed him the metal rod, he had an idea.
The mines exploded, one after another throwing shrapnel flying through the air with pillars of black smoke and flame consuming grunts and jackels alike, the force sent their corpses spiraling through the air, grunts rolling like bowling balls across the ground. If it wasn't for the death like situation Winter would have laughed.
Dropping the assault riffle to his side he readied the sniper, starring through the scope as he held the weapon at the ready. "Watch this.." Smith whispered to himself, squeezing the trigger as he brought the cross hairs upon the first ground. The armor piercing round streaked through the air, the incendiary like round turning the grunts tank into nothing less then a fire ball. Plumes of flame rising consuming his fellow grunts, screams exiting the enemies mouths, Shelly kindly chuckling.
Four rounds popped off one after another from the SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle, piercing the approaching brute heads turning their brains into nothing more then gray mush. They fell with thuds and his rifle rang empty. Dammit.
"Brutes on the horizon." He voiced into team COM, pulling up his assault rifle and waiting...
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:08 pm
Kyle walked onto the pelican and it shot up into the sky. He felt it stop within a few seconds and the hatch opened as he stood. He was deafened as loud proximity alarm noises filled his ears. He and the other marines ran onto the floor of the MAC platform hangar bay, guns raised.
As the other pelicans lifted off he adjusted his visor. For a change he was gloved in an ODST suit. He and all the marines were not ODST material, nor ODST's, they had the suits for protection only. Kyle fanned out with the rest of the marines as the ODST leads pointed to the doors of the MAC station.
As the pelicans roared off Kyle and the marines moved towards the doors. Even under all the weight of his armor he seemed weightless because of how the MAC platform was. Even after the Human-Covenant War that was brought to Earth they took down Earth's defense platforms. The lead MAC platform, The Queen, was the largest of all.
After intense bombing by the covenant air forces, the platform was rendered useless. But, deep inside the station were marines from both ONI and the UNSCDF were coordinating strikes in the Covenant territory.
Kyle listened to the small crys of ships flying in the dead of space. His eyes lifted up on his face and he looked at a hole in the roof of the hangar and watched as space around him stood motionless.
A sudden shove that shot into his brain and made him move along brought his mind back together. He continued on with the marines. They moved along the darkened and charred halls that led to more halls with longer paths. The marines move with quickness and did so quietly. They looked liked shadows moving in the dark in their armor with their blackened purple painted surroundings around them.
The plan they had was simple: Make their way to the ONI command center, wait for expill transport, and extract the members of the coordination team via expill transport and KEEP THEM ALIVE. Kyle shook his head and made the thought disapate into dust.
As the team neared the main elevator shaft. As Cpl Hopkins placed a lone hand on the clamp that held the doors open a sharp hiss filled everyones ears. Kyle's eye met his gun's ironsights almost immediately. His combat senses kicked in and he noticed the sound. He dropped to the ground, "Covenant droppers on approach."
Everyone dropped and moved slowly to the door and Kyle attached a whinch. He and the others slid down the shaft. He went into ther shaft last and he slid down into the bowels of the station.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:30 pm
He was a good soldier, Dansmith, held it out until the end. But we can't afford the luxury of sorrow, not now. An armored column is coming in to sensor range. Dansmith's helmet visor flickered green as a TacMap came in to view. entire sections of the map were whited out with "DATA UNAVAILABLE" scrolling through them. Spotty satelite coverage... He thought, and looked as numerous U.N.S.C. vehicles came within view. An MBT Scorpion, Some LRV's, and many Mongoose bikes. Here and there, the Covenant picked off a group, but their progress was undeniably... "explosive". In the wake of the convoy, countless Brutes and tons upon tons of Covenant vehicle debris littered the jungle floor. A small UNSC tag appeared above the MBT, "WO KARR, ABLE-BAKER".
"Good to know that b*****d's still kicking. Don't think the men could take losing him, too. What's ETA?" He asked Angel, who took a full five seconds to respond. My appologies, the BattleNets are chock-full of useless chatter and scramble signals. Finally found one that works. ETA is within 3 minutes, Able! She announced on Company-wide COMMs channels.
Ashton racked his BR55's bolt-action, and pulled back the slide on his HE Pistol. Time to kick some a** and save some men.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:24 pm
Matt was alittle shacked up but other than that, he was doing fine on his first day. He look around the pelican noticing that he didn't know any of the marines on board. He didn't feel lonely, but he hated being the FNG He looked up at the Lt and said," Sir do you think anyone survived the crash in Echo 457?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:52 pm
[James Mitchell]
"Damn it!" James cursed as he noticed that Warren's Transponder didn't show. James figured thought about where he had first caught a glimpse of it. It donned on him at this very moment that he has saved his life twice now. James sat in the driver's seat of the Warthog, in body he was right there at the wheel, but in mind he was somewhere else. Recalling the events on Installation 79, where Warren saved his a** from the wrong end of Sentinal beam and then pulled his wounded a** onto the Pelican. James quickly snapped out of his trance as the Marine in the passenger's seat shouted at him to trun. James quickly spun the wheel, the Warthog barely avoiding a large rock. "Die, you sons of bitches!" The marine on the turret shouted as he fired massive bursts from the gauss cannon. The Covenant were scattering, most of them anyway, some Jackals had overlapped their shields and formed a large phalanx. But, James knew exactly how to handle them, he made a sharp turn and head straight for them. The Jackals, surprised at this tactic scattered, leaving Karr and the gunner on the warthog to take out the ones that wearn't run down by the massive machine. "Hell yeah! Run, you little bitches! Run!" The gunner shouted and bagan to pick of the Covenant that were attempting to run away. ((I hope this is all in order.))
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:34 pm
Lee flicked on his SQUAD-COM. The hardest part about getting a group of marines psyched up for a rescue op was saying that they weren't going to do anything. But then again, he wouldn't have to say it. It was just another 20 seconds of waiting.
"Echo 457 is gone, Private! There's nothing we can do for them now! Listen up marines, our target is going to be an AA battery near the bloody crater the covvies are digging in our soil. We take it out fast, and clean, and the road to whatever they're trying to get is wide open. So stick to your squad-mates and keep your heads down, and we'll be out of this in no time!"
The Captain felt the Pelican lean forwards and accelerate as the G-forces pressed him ever more into his chair, and the jolting sensation of the heavy wing-mounted rocket tubes begin to fire. Visible covenant forces began winking out of existence on Lee's TAC-MAP, and the direct video feed from a camera showed a brute chopper being thrown in the airs and skidding to a halt through half a platoon of grunts. The rider dragged himself off of the vehicle before a leaking methane tank sparked from the chopper's exposed electrical components and consumed a small patch of jungle with chemical fire.
Barely five seconds and it was over, the first strafing run completed successfully, and the two pelicans still trailing behind the assault gunboats veered off and headed to the drop point. The obvious trail of destruction left by the tank made picking up Karr easy, as a pelican simply positioned itself over his vehicle and extended a set of locking bolts. Tank and driver secured, it lifted off and headed towards the AA battery with the still passing convoy of 301st striker troop transports, one of twenty birds that had flown from the nest earlier that day.
The other troop pelican landed, quickly gathering whatever ground forces there were left. An intact warthog locked into place after the troop bay doors closed shut, and the second pass of the assault gunboats further ensure the fact that nothing would stop them from reaching their destination. All of this happened in less than half a minute.
Hearing Hammer's message, Lee then responded to his call sign. "Cloverfield, this is Vortex. Squads are mixed right now, but we're right behind you every step of the way. Meet you on the ground, out."
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:53 pm
"Fox Hole One, we're not gonna last without backup! Dammit it! Fox Hole One, please respond!" Lipton flung the headset across the room and looked to Capt. Simmons.
"Wire this place with all the C-12 you've got. It's not worth the lives of every man and woman in Easy to protect. The Covenant want it, well they're not gonna get it."
Simmons nodded.
"Yes sir."
The explosives were distributed evenly around the wall and placed in such a way that it would completely destroy the outpost, leaving nothing behind. The survivors were slowly pulled off the wall and into the service tunnels. When the last man went underground what was left of the Company sat huddled around Lipton.
"Sir, what are our orders?"
"None. Contact with Crow's Nest has been cut off, we're on our own for the moment. These tunnels lead to the mountain and to Voi. It's one hell of a jog, but we can make it if we hurry. Once we're out of range, we'll blow the outpost, and anything inside of it to high heaven. Let's move out."
The remaining members of Company E 105th quickly headed off down the dark service-way. The C-12 had been rigged so that the explosion would project out and up, but not down. They would be safe from the blast. Once they were at least a mile away they pressed the detonator. The entire tunnel shook and the overwhelming sound of the blast shot through the passage. From above it would seem that a biblical pillar of fire had appeared in the Jungle. The fire burst lasted only for a second, but the cloud of debris hang in the air for some time.
Safely below ground Easy Co. double timed it for the Industrial Harbor city of Voi.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 11:53 pm
Seth sat, listening and waiting. The extraction had been completed with relative success. Seth turned on his SQUADCOM, he knew that his squad had been split up on separate birds. "Bandoleer Squad this is Adams, everyone present and accounted for?" Seth used his HUD to bring up a list of those Marines in Bandoleer Squad, the list read:
CO:Adams, Seth [Lt] XO: Bishop, Gray, K. [MSgt] Demo: Yale, John [Cpl] Marksmen: Alexander, Gavin, G-S. [Sgt] Support:Venegas, Julio [Sgt] Support: Cruz, Alex, T. [Pvt] Medic: Bailey, Jessica, S. [Cpl] Assistant Medic McVay, Lisa [Pvt] Combat: Kent, Robert [Cpl] Combat: Tau, Joseph, G. [GySgt]
Soon after he spoke the small boxes containing their military profiles displayed on his HUD each began to flash green once indicating they were all present and accounted for. Bishop's was first followed by Bailey and Tau. The others delayed about half a second longer, and were all unanimous.
"Alright Bandoleer, listen up- When we get down there things are going to happen fast. Listen for my order. Things start going wrong you're all going to need your head's about you. Just do as I say, and we'll all get home alive... Adams out." Seth turned off the COM but kept their vitals on his HUD; a few of the newer members, McVay, Cruz and Yale, were nervous. They hadn't seen much combat, Yale more than the other two. Seth had however had the pleasure of working with the rest of the Squad members in the past.
Bishop, a Canadian was a solid Marine, younger than Seth but the man had a brilliance on the battlefield around him, he saw it as art he said. But that made him seem off, in truth Bishop was steady as a rock.
Tau, African, he was vicious a good man to hold a position. Seth had yet to push Tau over his limit. The man was built like an ox and could take punishment like one. He had been climbing the ranks fast.
Alexander was a strange one, had some mental issues. But he was a crack-pot shot. And all business on the field. That had become problematic in the past however. He'd sometimes not respond on a COM.
Bailey could go toe to toe with any Marine, she was ambitious. She had worked with Bishop more than she worked with Seth, but he could rely on her.
Kent was a bit of a dim-wit sometimes, not good for stealth but he had good instincts.
Venegas was a hardcore sonuvabitch. Came from Mexico, the kid had to be a gangster when he was off duty. Reminded Seth of a Mafia enforcer. But that made him a huge target.
---
Seth's thoughts on his squad, and how to use them continued as the Pelicans began to grow closer to their destination, and the Marines in his squad became ever more nervous.
Finally, with the predictable satisfaction of an incoming yawn, Seth's leg began to twitch. He was ready as he'd ever be. Seth's mind pinged him and he remembered to report back in, only a few moments had passed. "Bandoleer's all here and accounted for Captain." He said over a command channel to Lee. Checking the rest of the vitals in Able-Baker briefly he added, "We're good to go."
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:14 am
The grunts shot up in flames turning into something resembling a gigantic flaming soccer ball that spiraled across the field burning through its friendlies, through its 'friends', why didn't each grunts methane tank carry a explosive warning? The Covenant sure was daft where they needed to be, and needn't.
Shelly pricked up his calm, as Winter returned fire upon enemies. "Pick up coming." That was helpful, as the jackels formed a phalanx of overlapping shields firing green plasma bolts from their protection.
"Strife with the hog." Team COM sparkled to life, the order came and the mechanical twirl sounded as the gunner turned upon the gathered jackels. You could see the frustration as the enemy turned to their true enemy, 12.7x99mm shells. There shields would be useless.
The machine gun chattered to life sending lead streaking through the air leaving thin vapor trails as they slammed into the target. Enemy shields sparkled red for a breathe before the orange colored monsters shrieked and tried to scatter, to late. Their limbs separated from their bodies as blood splattered through the air, blue goo seeping into the ground as mangled jackels crumbled to the ground.
"PICK UP!" Shelly announced.
From his cover of the tank Winter leaped, clicking the team COM's evac switch, "haul a**!"
Scrambling upon the Scorpion tanks metal hide he latched a hand upon a railing swinging up the rising tank as it clasped to the back of the Pelican. Hundreds of feet from the ground he leaped to awaiting hands, unneeded as Winter landed upon metal racks with a thunk. Scare face had followed and the ODST gave him a helping hand as he turned to the gathered marines. Huddled in their chairs, some scarred, some frightened, some uncaring. Beside 'scare' he sat, putting his assault rifle between his legs, feeling the vehicle rise into the sky.
On a pelican once again, the rocking didn't bother him, it did not phase him, he was a hell jumper, he wasn't in hell yet.
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:00 am
Pain. Right through the shoulder.
Karr yelled in pain as a spike drove through his shoulder. He looked down, and to his reilef, it was a Brute Spike, not a Needler.
To his relief, the Pelican came down. The Tank Pelican lifted off, as Smith hopped in he gave him a wave off with his good arm, and ducked from incoming fire.
Another Pelican landed right infront of him, inside, only a few scattered Marines, some wore bandages.
"Ok, you 3 get on." He said, waving the 3 marines to fill the last remaining spaces.
2 more Pelican's landed. Anthony watched teams of Marines get in, satisfied.
Anthony would be the last one to leave. He had learned his lesson on being the first one on.... Nobody will die... not under his watch...
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:17 am
Ashton hauled in another banged-up Marine, and patted him on the back as he shoved the man deeper in to the Pelican, away from the exposed gangway. "KARR!" He hollared over the din from the engines, the Pelican listed slightly, but regained and settled back in to a steady hover. "KARR! WE'RE ALL ONBOARD!" As the Warrant Officer turned, Sergeant Dansmith saw a still-warm Spike driven in to Anthony's shoulder. Ah, s**t. No, not on my shift, you aren't!!
He leapt from the Pelican, falling a good meter or so. He landed in a roll, staggered, and hobbled towards the Warrant Officer on his sprained ankle."Come on, Soldier! Time to blow this joint!" He hefted Karr's good arm over his shoulder and helped him back towards the Pelican. Two Marine Privates grabbed Karr's arm and Dansmith gave him a leg-up. Soon he, too, scrambled on to the Pelican, and it rose from the dust-cloud it had kicked up, vehicles in tow. All but three marines had made it on alive, courtesy of a Wraith mortar blast that took out a fully-loaded Warthog LRV.
"WE'RE IN!" Dansmith hollared, then made sure the wounded Warrant Officer was tended to, himself.
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