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Retaliation (Revised) by Blue Jaguar
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Retaliation: Part One (Revised)
Date: 16 March 2005, 11:24 PM
Terran Royal Marine Corps
From: ATLAS Special Operations Command (ASCOM)
To: 489th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion
Message originated: 9:20:05:0932
The 489th has been assigned to strike targets designated inside this package. All info necessary to complete this mission is enclosed. The 219th Archer Battalion will be transferred to the command of Major Reina Ketechi, who is hereby promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
END OF MESSAGE
Reina pulled more papers out from the package until she found a pair of silver eagles. She was only 2 ranks from being a senior officer in the corps, not bad for a 27 year old, she thought. Of course, rapid rank promotions like this happened in times of war.
She glanced through the material; they were going to strike a Brotherhood installation on Kyralis Alpha. Ki Alp as it was more commonly known, had once been an important stronghold in the Royal Hegemony. The planet was lost several years back in a massive battle with the Brotherhood. Since then its importance had decreased, but it was still a vital hub and the massive drydocks in orbit over Ki Alp 3 could make quick repairs on damaged ships.
Ki Alp was currently weakly guarded; with about 8 Division sized infantry units and 3 orbiting frigates for space defense. Something alarmed Reina though, and that was the small Spartan garrison at an outpost near the main Brotherhood installation on the 2nd moon. She despised the Spartans but that didn't mean she lacked respect or fear for them. Hundreds of her comrades had been killed by those monsters, she would make them pay.
Reina read further into the orders.
Her two battalions under her command, the 489th Recon Battalion and 219th Archer Battalion, would be assigned to take out separate targets. The Archers, carrying heavier equipment and being more able to take out hardened targets, would be the main combat force on the moon. They would be responsible for taking out the Spartans as well as holding off two Regiments of infantry on the moon while the Recon battalion stole some vital intel from a Brotherhood installation nearby. Under the right circumstances, the mission would be quick in and out, but the added variables made it a little more difficult. The Spartan III's wouldn't be the only issue working against the strike force. The lack of preparation before the strike meant that a lot of improv would be needed among the officers, and the two units had never worked before.
And of course they picked me over a seasoned officer to do this. Reina skimmed over the remaining information then sent it through the shredder.
October 31, 2705 (1000 Hours)/Fort Hood, ATLAS
"I have good news, but bad news as well." Ketechi announced.
"Well shoot, no point in delaying." Major Jin Hueng, new commander of the 327th replied.
"The good news, is we finally have been assigned to a mission, and we'll be working with the 219th Archer Battalion on this one. The bad news, we will be departing in two hours."
"TWO HOURS!" Hueng stammered.
"I'd protest, but command hasn't really given time for that. We'll have to take what we got and go with it." Reina turned towards Major Samson, the 219th commander, who had been silent since he arrived. "Major Samson, when we reach our objective, we'll be departing ahead of you by about half an hour, we'll clear an LZ and then you can bring in the heavy guns and take care of any enemy forces we encounter."
"Just what kind of forces would that be?" Samson inquired.
"We have confirmed reports of two full regiments on the planet, standard Brotherhood infantry regiments. That isn't what we are worried about though." Reina was about to continue, but she was cut short.
"They have Spartans?" Samson asked.
"Yes, about a dozen that we know of."
"Any other surprises?" Hueng piped up.
"Well I guess I'd better tell you where we are striking." Ketechi pulled out a hologram projector. A map of the galaxy projected up, and quickly zoomed in towards the Orion Arm, and then again even further towards a single star. The name of the star appeared on the screen, and various information appeared below it.
"Kyralis Alpha?" Hueng asked, flabbergasted.
"We'll be hitting the 2nd moon, so they won't be able to pull in forces very quickly. But we'll be staying in system indefinitely." Ketechi replied.
"In otherwords, we're launching a preliminary strike and waiting until a main force comes to relieve us?" Samson asked.
He must know about the upcoming offensive, or maybe he's just been in the service for a hell of a long time.
"That would be classified, but I doubt any of you are Brotherhood spies, so yeah that is the general idea."
"This couldn't get any worse could it?" Hueng complained.
"No, I think this is about as close to hell as we can get."
November 1, 2705 (1600 Hours-Local Time)/Nova Laikais Drydocks, Kyralis Alpha
Ensign James Letrent, BHHP Defense Forces, glanced down at his sensors screen. He could have sworn that several targets had just appeared on the screen. He was nearing the end of his watch, and was quite tired, but none the less he was sure he'd seen something. He stared intensely at the screen for a few minutes, then took action.
He flipped open the com channel for fighter command.
"Nova Laikais Drydocks to Cobra One." He said into the microphone.
"This is Cobra One, go ahead." A voice replied.
"Contacts identified in Sector Three-dash One Two, lost contact two minutes ago, please investigate."
"Roger, Cobra Flight is heading there now."
Letrent looked back at the sensor screen. Cobra flight had changed course and was now rapidly heading on an outbound course towards the last known position of the contacts. Within three minutes they had arrived in the sector and the five craft began patrolling the 2nd moon of Kyralis Alpha, looking for anything suspicious.
"Cobra One to Nova Laikais, no targets spotted yet, we are entering the moon's atmosphere, will be out of contact shortly." The voice said again through the channel.
"Affirmative Echo One, Nova Laikais out." Letrent responded.
Cobra Flight faded off the sensor screen as it entered the atmosphere of the moon. A few seconds later two targets clearly identified as "hostile" appeared just aft of the Flights last known position on the sensor screen.
"Cobra One, Cobra One contact at 6 O'clock!" Letrent yelled into the microphone. Alas, it was too late and Cobra Flight was already burning through the moon's atmosphere.
"Nova Laikais Drydocks, we have an emergency, enemy craft have entered the system and engaged Brotherhood fighters in sector Three-Dash One-Five." Letrent sent through the emergency communications channel.
Immediately chatter began filling the channel. Letrent looked back down at his sensor screen. A pair of frigates and two squadrons of fighters had already departed the dockyards and were heading for the moon.
Retaliation: Part Two (Revised)
Date: 6 May 2005, 4:35 AM
May 7, 2696 (0700 Hours-Local Time)/Sigma Draconis System, RTMC Field Camp Delta.
"Attention!"
Private first class Reina Ketechi stood at attention a Sergeant Major stepped into the barracks.
"At ease." The Sergeant Major l ordered.
Reina looked over at the Sergeant Major. He was about 50 years old, had a clean shaven head, and a very mean look on his battlescared face. He was well over six feet tall, easily towering over anyone else in the barracks.
"The following soldiers please step forward." The Sergeant Major once again ordered.
Reina thought she knew what this was about, she had seen the Helljumper armpatch on the man's uniform, and it was very rare that a Helljumper came into a marine barracks unless he was recruiting.
"Corporal Christoper Alvarez, Private Adrian Hade, Private Reina Ketechi."
Reina's heart jumped, but she instantly bolted forward a step.
"Private Johannes Schwoll, Corporal Jin Tao."
Once the last of the listed stepped forward, the Sergeant Major walked down the line looking at each one of the soldiers who stepped forward. Reina's heart came to a standstill as the colonel walked by, he was a foot and a half taller than her, and stopped for a second as he passed by.
When the Sergeant Major reached the end of the line he stopped and turned around to face the five.
"You five rotten scumbags have been chosen to begin training for the OES program. I am positive that none of you will make it through the first week of training, so if you want to stay as close to my goodside as your ever going to get, step back, because I'm going to make it my personal responsibility to make sure I keep my word." The Sergeant Major declared.
Reina was at first terrified, but she figured this was just the Sergeant Major trying to get rid of anyone who really didn't want to be a Helljumper. She stayed exactly where she was.
Two of the soldiers slowly stepped back into their spots.
"Maybe you idiots didn't hear me! Your going to be wasting valuable government money by going all the way to ATLAS and then coming straight back because you a worthless piece of trash! All three of you are traitors to our people, and if I had it my way I would shoot all three of you right now!"
The Sergeant Major paused.
"Are you deaf or stupid?!"
"Sir, neither sir!" Reina immediately shouted out.
"WAY WRONG ANSWER! Only a total moron could get that wrong, so I'm guessing that's what you are. That's fine by me because that will make you all the easier to kill once we get to ATLAS. All three of you had better watch you backs, because I'll be gunning for your sorry asses. Now get outside, doubletime!"
Reina immediately turned and ran out of the barracks along with the other two that hadn't stepped back. Once they were outside they lined up and stood back at attention.
The Sergeant Major appeared about 30 seconds later with 3 cards in his hand. "These are your transfer cards. A dropship will be dusting off for ATLAS in 10 minutes. Do everyone a favor and don't get on it." The Helljumper punched his hand and all three cards onto the chest of Private Adrian Hade, causing him to gasp a little as he recovered from the force of the blow.
"Punk ass." The Sergeant Major muttered as he turned and walked away from the group.
November 1, 2705 (0100 Hours-Local Time)/Alpha Kyralis System, entering third moon of Kyralis Alpha 2.
"Ithaca to 327th, All pods are away, we'll see you in a few weeks." A voice came from the ship they had just blasted away from moments ago.
"Affirmative Ithaca, thanks for the lift." Lt. Colonel Reina replied. She switched her comm system to her unit only.
"You know the drill helljumpers."
Immediately the Helljumpers began reciting the OES creed through the encrypted comm channel.
"Orders I shall carry out, regardless of how impossible they may be. I am a Helljumper, and as such I am expected to complete any task no matter the price.
Eneregetically will I meet my duties. I will always give 100 percent, and even more if needed. I will not allow a Helljumper to fall into the hands of the enemy. I will never surrender, though I be the last man in my unit.
Surprise is the key to my success. Through swiftness and cunning I shall sneak up on my enemy, and defeat them before they can react.
Helljumpers Blaze the way!"
Almost immediately after the last line was recited, the small parachutes began opening on all of the pods, slowing them down only slightly. Shortly after the pods began firing retro rockets that slowed their decent even more, and finally a large parachute opened just a few hundred feet before impact with the ground, slowing the hefty pod even more, but not enough to prevent the massive jolt as it became one with the ground.
Reina glanced at the pods scanner system. Nothing dangerous around her it showed, or at least nothing dangerous moving. She punched the canopy eject, and the front section of the pod popped off and landed on the ground a few feet in front of her. She quickly jumped out with a pistol drawn and looked around for any threats. After being satisfied that she was alone, she turned and pulled out her M38A Assault Rifle, a highly modified and advanced MA5B that was designed to fire advanced plasma high density rounds and also be fully integrated with her OES armor. It was far more accurate and powerful than it's predecessor, but still retained the high rate of fire and magazine load. It was the ideal combat weapon, especially when combined with the 2.5x optical scope.
Reina grabbed her field back pack next and began strapping it on. She put her pistol back into its' holster and slung the rifle over her shoulder. She looked down at the Nav unit on her wrist and began heading towards the rendevous point.
After a few minutes of walking, she came across the first group of friendlies.
Even though her command unit identified them as friendlies, she didn't want to take any chances, especially with a known Spartan presence.
"Identification." She announced from behind some bushes.
Immediately the four men paused. "Privates Nunez, Hu, Daniels, and King, Bravo Company, 327th Battalion, RTMC." One of the men replied.
Reina stepped out from behind the bush, gun drawn.
"Good to see you ma'am." The four men saluted.
"Same with you, any sign of the rest of your unit?"
"No ma'am, we just landed a few hundred metres north of here, but I think I saw about 5 pods land about a hundred metres southwest of here a few minutes ago." Private Nunez replied.
"All right, well they'll reach the rendevous point before us so lets get a move on."
"Aye aye ma'am." The men replied.
The group began jogging, and after a few minutes they had begun meeting up with other soldiers. By the time they reached the rendevous point, almost all of the 327th had been assembled.
Reina found Major Hueng among the flock of soldiers. "How many did we lose?" She asked immediately.
"I only counted one, blew up right as we entered. Only two others are unaccounted for, but a few guys from Echo company say that they went way off course and landed about two kilometers west of here. They should be showing up any minute." Hueng replied.
"Good, Major Samson's group should be coming down right about..." Reina was interrupted by a loud road and crash just a few metres away. Immediately everyone looked over to see an OES pod lodged into the ground with dust plumming up around it. They next looked up at the sky to see hundreds more coming down just a few hundred metres from the rendevous point.
"Now." Reina finished her sentence, as the pod opened and a 219th Archer lieutenant appeared.
The soldier immediately saluted and began putting his gear on.
"Lieutenant Schmidt ready for duty ma'am."
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