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 Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:01 pm
Mitchell had returned to his Combat team. They were wrapping up the target practice. The team was one man short of full strength. Private O'Connol had earned himself a day-pass into the City. He got to take the day off. Which was ironic considering how damn serious O'Connol acted. Mitchell considered it a wasted gift, but he had learned long ago not to take things at face value. Perhaps O'Connol was a real person beneath his helmet. Regardless, it looked as though Private O'Connol's pass was going to be canceled. He was about to call for Jeeves when the A.I. appeared on the pedestal near the training grounds.
"Sergeant Major, the threat level has been raised to orange. You are ordered to stand by."
"Understood Jeeves."
Mitchell turned to his men and spoke loud enough for every one of them to hear.
"Ok boys and girls. Grab your gear and meet me in the assembly area. On the double!"
The ODSTs dispersed and jogged off to their barracks. Every unit occupied barracks that were gender divided. The female Marines slept in one building while the men slept in another. In eight minutes every man and woman in Combat Team Echo was geared up and ready for combat. Mitchell was waiting for them wearing everything an ODST needed in the field. Which was roughly double the equipment a Marine regular carried into battle. He and his men were ready for anything. Modified AV-14 "Hornets" were being fueled and armed on the tarmac. These refitted Hornets had three quick-release harnesses attached to each landing strut, allowing up to six passengers to ride shotgun. There were two Hornets for the twelve ODSTs in Echo team. If the hornets were being prepared for combat, the ODST operators knew that they'd be going into action. Mitchell knew now was the best time to brief his team on their mission. He'd tell O'Connol the plan when they found him. Unfortunately, there just wasn't time.
"Gonzalez, fall in! Alright Marines, listen up. We're going to hit the Marathon Hotel. Our targets are Justin Vasquez and Louis Talbert. Priority targets that need to be taken alive. You have their profiles on your HUDs. Expect medium to heavy resistance. I want a nice clean insertion. Ten minutes to hit the objective. Noise discipline is in effect. If we run into trouble, elements from 2nd battalion of the 301st S.I.R. are on call. Everyone understand?"
There was unanimous consent as the ODST operators consulted the mission information. Mitchell stared at the Hornets and waited with a mixture of anticipation and dread. There was part of him that enjoyed the adrenaline of combat. The surge of terror and energy that accompanied being in a hot-zone. But there was another part, perhaps a more logical one, that despised combat. He knew all too well that all it took to end his life was a well placed bullet or grenade. Unlike the Spartans, they didn't have energy shielding. Mitchell wasn't the sort of man to lose his composure under pressure. He was just a veteran Marine. One who had seen more than his share of fallen comrades. Every veteran of the war had.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:05 pm
Andrew held the locket tight in his hand as he stood up and radioed to the other two, "if they haven't already started shooting they're not going to!" He looked down at Devin's body and felt a rang of regret for not having met her before; she seemed like the kind of soldier that never came around twice. With a heavy sight he opened his chest pocket and slid the locket inside, holding it close to his heart. "You two" he called again over the calm, "rendevouz back here at the 'Hog; Devin's K.I.A." O'Connol turned around and stepped into the middle of the street, looking both ways to check for oncoming traffic. His hazel eyes fell upon the balcony the bomber had stood; he would kill that man. Several thoughts ran through his head but he had to keep calm and assess the situation like an ODST should.
He switched frequencies, radioing to Illisium H.Q. "H.Q., this is Private Andrew O'Connol, 105th ODST Division" he said quickly, sighing heavily, "There's been a bombing on 5th Avenue between Washington Blvd and Joshua Tree Rd." The soldier turned his head and looked at the scattered remains of the marine whom had been dead before they found him and the car. It was a sad sight to see a Marine's dead body, but even worse to hear the Marine's final words. "We've got three K.I.A" he said finally before hearing a response, "Read you loud and clear; we've got two teams moving in now, over." Andrew shook his head and began walking to the Warthog transport they had hitched a ride in, "Roger that, O'Connol out." The private hopped in the front seat and twisted the helmet off his head, placing it on the dashboard between the driver's and passanger's seat; he leaned his head against the head rest and waited for the two marines to make their way out of the alley.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:17 pm
Darian reached the 'hog "Where the hell is Zeke!" Darian hopped in quickly, checking the whole scenario and now he had seen enough "You know what, you and Zeke go, I will try to hold em off." Darian ran into a building looking a perfect window that will give him veiw over everything, and on that was a vastly great vantage point.
"Dont hesitate to leave, oh and good luck boy's!" Darian then turned off his radio and entered a room fitting all the requirements "Ready Darian?" he thought as he got on his stomach and began to scan the area throw his scope once more.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:25 pm
Zeke did as he was told and looked back at the car one last time. The burning flames seem show the peace that had just been there before. The peace that just burned away taking with it a Marine that Zeke might have got along with. He went up to the Warthog and put his rifle in the seat and then grabbed onto the sides. He pulled himself into the Warthog and then took his Sniper Rifle. He looked at the roofs one last time. He then looked down at his sniper rifle. So many thoughts ran through his mind as he sat there. Why had he been so lucky? Why was the life of a good marine, Zeke would never know, taken? Why could someone do such a thing? Zeke would never know the answers to these questions. He just let out a long sigh and looked over at the driver, the ODST. He thought about what he should say at a time like this. Nothing seemed proper for this moment and just seemed to make things worse.
"ODST," Zeke said as he sat there staring down at his sniper rifle. He stayed silent for a while as he tried to realize what to say. His mind ran over so many questions but he only wanted to ask one. He closed his eyes and leaned back into his seat. Burning questions that could never be answered. He then thought of the Ocean and how beautiful it looked. How at that moment things were truly peaceful. "What if we really had gone swimming? Think things would've been different?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:27 pm
Jeeves' voice came through the SQUADCOM frequency in Mitchell's helmet. The message was for him and him alone. The Sergeant Majorclosed his eyes as he listened and nodded at the news.
"Sergeant Major, there was a car bombing in Illisium. Private O'Connol was at ground zero. He reports three KIA. You are to rendezvous with the Private at his location.
Mitchell said nothing, for there was nothing to say. The Rook had the day off and ended up getting into a hot-spot. That was life. Now they were going into action before he wanted them to. It wasn't a problem.
"Strap in Marines. Dust-off in two."
The ODST operators double timed it to the waiting Hornets and strapped themselves into the waiting quick-release harnesses. When each AV-14 was carrying its share of passengers, they lifted off and flew toward 5th Avenue. The ride was quick and painless. Their stand-by status allowed them an unprecedented response time. As they neared the Privates' position, Mitchell could see black smoke rising into the air between buildings. On the ground were several Marine regulars and one M12LRV. O'Connol was sitting in the Warthog. A trio of bodies were scattered about the road. The three KIAs that had been called in.
The AV-14's never touched the ground, they buzzed close to the road and the ODST's unhooked themselves. They spread out in textbook fashion and covered every window and vantage point. The Hornets gained altitude and went into orbit, ready for close-air-support if needed. While Echo team secured the area another team, this one a medical detachment from the 3rd Armored, rounded the street corner led by MPs with sirens blazing. The ambulance pulled up next to the Warthog used by O'Connol and his buddies. A pair of medics hopped out and were joined by EMTs from the other transports. They carried stretchers to the bodies and prepared them for transit. They would be sterilized and shipped back to their homes for a burial with full honors. Mitchell walked over to the Private's 'Hog and lowered his weapon.
"O'Connol, are you alright?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:31 pm
The Warthog took the air its massive wheels touching the concrete road breathes later squealing in anger as the vehicle lurched. The type of lurch that threw your stomach up into your throat. The four wheel drive vehicle found traction a moment before it was to late keep the military vehicle from simply decimating a poor little sedan. Stomping his foot into the accelerator Winter felt the vehicle gain speed as they ran through the clearing traffic. It was hard to miss a large green painted vehicle but that didn't make the journey simple or easy. The problem with driving on a road was the constant barrage of idiots in front of the wheel. They were not attune to the dynamics of their cars spending their years of driving on city streets perhaps moving over for a police vehicle or ambulance. Not a huge Warthog flying down the streets that would simply crunch anyone who got between it and one of its massive wheels. Squish, the crunch of metal and silent screams would be all that was left if somebody made the wrong move. Winter was careful avoiding each outbreak of stupidity as drivers failed to act smartly. No, they weren't stupid they're reactions were just sloppy.
Within minutes he left the main roads following a on board GPS system to the site of the explosion. Three KIA a exploded car no firearm discharge that was all that he had been given before he bolted cutting through series of yellow tape. A perk of being in ONI. Plus who would find it curious for a ONI operative to go to the seen of a crime? True criminals the smart ones were always worried and yes they would take note. Justin Vasquez and Louis Talbert would meet and the two would hopefully be successfully nabbed and captured and within thirty minutes standing before Winter. Underneath his cunning information gathering procedures but the ex-ODST knew his way around torture. Hopefully he would be given free room as ONI was usually. Luckily there was always plan B.
First he would visit the nab site soon after extraction to look for any evidence. The two bad guys would have already thought of lies they already had plans if they were caught. Wouldn't they?
"Rodriguez the turn is on are right. Watch the buildings." Winter ordered over the artificial wind.
The turret twisted to the right the M41 gun bending to Winter's order. They came around parking in the ally. He noticed, as soon as he hopped from the vehicle a sniper stories up. It was one of their own hopefully the Corporal had noticed. Not that it mattered if the enemy planned to kill them and this was in fact a elaborate trap they were all dead. Winter didn't believe it, hopefully he was right.
The area was on lock down sirens flashing off their lights. He didn't like the mass of people he really didn't. It made things difficult but he stepped from the warthog leaving it parked around all the others.
The spook checked the surroundings visualizing the entire seen. He saw where a car had once been probably middle sized? Judging on the blast radius shards of car parts and the smell of burning rubber he guess right as he saw a tire's rubber end blown to the other side of the ally. The bomb had left three dead? He saw one, female stricken by the car's detonation. Death was familiar to Winter and he pushed his emotions to the side.
Gun in hand Winter moved throughout the scene filled with a mass of soldiers turning his eyes to a ODST. "Sir are the commanding officer?" Winter ordered with authority. The blade of a ODST the markings upon his beret were all but a small chunk of what made Winter himself. His lips curled into a grimace the only sign of age appearing in his eyes and the old scares upon his face. Otherwise he seemed twenty a new officer in his field. Old war torn eyes and scares told otherwise.
The soldier who sat in the Warthog was a marine and he deserved respect and Winter returned it with his words. Furthermore this man was a ODST and there was a bond between ODSTs for they knew what the two had gone through to get to where they were.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:41 pm
Andrew looked at the Sergeant before reaching down and pulling his helmet back onto his head, locking it into place. Quietly he reached back and grabbed his assault rifle before stepping up onto the seat, and jumping out next to his C.O. The private looked at the man with the berret and looked back to Mitchell, ignoring the man completely. He nodded his head, "I'm alright, sir." The man's grip on the rifle tightened as he looked from Mitchell to the wreckage, to the man with the berret.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:52 pm
Darian ran back down the building now realizing that they hadnt left yet "You guys!" He reached the final set of stairs and then made his way outside where he would notice a bunch of a marine's awaiting him, he then notice the superior officer talking to the Private "I got bored, plus what would I do with you guys" Darian hopped in the Warthog and laughed.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:57 pm
In the sence that there be power in numbers, Jack would be found powerless. It was not that nobody wanted to be friends with Jack, it's that Jack wanted to be friends with almost nobody. It's almost as if he was searching for that one perfect person, the best of companions, but he is to this day unsuccessful. Jack was a people watcher. He'd watch buisness men and women , children , beachgo'ers and beings of every type. One would find themself in his thoughts, be judged and move on. He sat again, watching still. Then he found an interesting thing to watch, and he watched her.
Another ODST it seemed. Jack so despised them; their black armor and god-like persona. Now-a-days it seems that when coporal rank is achieved, all the kiss-a** grunts reached for the black, full faced helmet. They wore it like a badge, like it meant something. Their stupid cheers rang in his head, "Feet first into hell", more like strapped into a ******** box falling from the sky.
"That's real hard to do", he snikered."I can stand up in a big hunk of metal."
In the end, he sat on one side of the street and she on another, compleatly oblivious to the opposing thoughts.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:59 pm
"Good. Take it easy until you're ready to go. Check with the medics before you go. If you want, you can go back to the aid station with them."
Mitchell's attention was focused on his man. Not this newcomer. He swiveled on his heel and turned to face the man wearing the Beret. He appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties. He had a slightly long face and sharp features. Mitchell disliked him on the spot. His dislike was only fueled by the ONI insignia clamped to his Beret. The man wore a combat knife used extensively by ODSTs. Mitchell took note that he was probably an ODST or had been at some point. This redeemed him slightly, but not enough to bring him from the depths of Mitchell's scorn. Unfortunately the man was a superior. A Master Gunnery Sergeant. Mitchell was going to have to kiss his a** if he didn't want to get crap assignments. ONI operatives had a habit of reassigning people who offended them in the worst possible manner. Separating them from their units, assigning them to Mess duty or Latrine duty. Chickenshit stuff. He did not remove his helmet, nor did he salute. You saluted an officer, not an N.C.O.
"Can I help you with something Sergeant?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:17 pm
His eyes averting from the Corporal and another ODST to confront a new one. This one did not salute nor was it appropriate. Winter was not an officer and it was a matter that annoyed him. He did not yearn to go up into the ranks of course not he didn't want to be stuck behind a desk. Nor was it that he yearned fro respect but it was a simple matter that the brass took officers with wider ears, even to ONI.
"Yes sir," he answered. Winter wasn't a b***h there was no taste of bitterness in his voice. If anything the utter lack of emotion. "Helmet cams from all present during the attack." Dead or alive. Also if they could be transferred to the AI Sarah." Sarah had been discovered long ago and now she was treated like many of the other military AI. Co-existing in Winter's head as she also wove through servers. Sadly one could not exist with the other and the brass added worry to it all. She was often kept out of the loop often thought of as a remnant almost a rogue AI. Still, she would receive the information. He would review the tapes later.
The human Covenant conflict had made cameras attached to soldiers helmets invaluable. Allowing ONI to learn about the Covenant. With the camera's survival rate so low at the beginning he wouldn't be surprised if all the cameras were all in place and intact. Hopefully they were and hopefully they were on.
"Thank you Sergeant. The military is good at losing track of things." Perhaps it was a bad move to admit such a flaw but it was obvious. "The more requests the more likely it will be for them to be answered."
The explanation was vague but Winter liked to express the purpose. The ODST had more important assignments at hand. He didn't want to waste the soldiers time. Hopefully the short order would not.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:22 pm
Things had gone from good to bad in a matter of seconds. Now he had to deal with ONI. Apparently this guy had been out of the field for a while. Or hadn't been told how things worked here. Mitchell wanted to mouth off to this p***k, and to tell him what to do with himself. Instead, he was polite and disciplined.
"You can have the tapes after the incident debriefing. For now, I can't give you a thing. Standard Operating Procedure. Sorry."
He nodded to the ONI spook and turned back to his men. The area seemed clear and the number of MPs was steadily increasing. He raised his right hand and twirled his pointer finger in the air. Echo team regrouped around O'Connol's Warthog. Mitchell glanced up at the Hornets circling the DZ then returned his attention to the task at hand.
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