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Warriors of Valour: Part 4
Posted By: Ghost sniper<taylorboys@vtown.com.au>
Date: 4 October 2003, 8:05 AM
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(2516, in transit to Gilanta Nova IV)
'Okay lets go over the plan again.' My words echoed through the M63-TC's bay.
'Yes sir Sergeant Stiles.' Called most of my squad except one.
'Oh do we have to Fred.'
'Yes Marco we do.' Marco had not changed over a year and we were still the best of friends, he and I felt comfortable together and could create plans that were almost perfect. Once I had taken the position of squad leader of the "Warriors of Valour" Marco became my demolitions expert. He was quite a joker and was able to keep the squad in a good mood. I looked around at the rest of my squad members as I folded out the map.
Joanne the deadliest sniper the Resistance had to offer, Matthews had described her as a cold-hearted killer and that was what she was. She rarely missed a shot and was never found far away from her custom modified sniper rifle, She had modified it so much the original model was unknown as Joe's gun. She was strikingly beautiful but strictly professional, that was something Marco had found out the hard way.
James heavy weapons expert, a lumbering hulk of meat. He could easily take on 50 marine troopers and 3 M807B MBTs easily, that was something the entire squad was thankful for. He too was deadly professional but was usually found to be help and participate in many of Marco's practical jokes. He always packed himself with a newly acquired M17 shoulder mounted rocket launcher; unlike previous models it had dual barrels. He was almost always the "contingency plan", which meant if we got in trouble he would lay out the explosives and bullets to get us out.
Then there was Helen our pilot, driver etc. whatever, if it was metal and could move she could use it. She was most renowned for a move she pulled at a major skirmish with the UNSC. She flew a longsword between two cruisers crippling each other with there shots and then turning around going through again in a gap only 100 metres apart making the pursuing fighters panic and fly into there own cruisers. Due to her light frame and nimbleness she was an expert of infiltration, when she did have to go into the field she took only a silenced M4A pistol and a knife.
I checked that my father's M3B was still in the holster before continuing 'Okay we just got reports of the UNSC holding some civilians here' I said pointing at a building in the city's centre 'There all orphans used for testing, we're going to get them out and suggest joining the Resistance. Now Helen is going to take us onto the roof, it's a fairly useless facility so resistance is extremely light. That is were Marco, James and I are going to get out. Now Helen drops off Joanne on a nearby roof and then stays in close proximity in case of air attack. Marco and I will blow the roof, James your to stay on top. There is a barracks and vehicle yard close by James and Jo can take care of them when they come to investigate. Marco and I will infiltrate and rescue the orphans, recon shows no more than six, we should be able to hack into the mainframe and find a map. Then we escort the subjects to the roof where Helen will come in and take us home, okay.'
'Yes sir.' They said sitting back down waiting for the doors to open and the mission to start, the Warriors of Valour where professionals they had a 95% success rate and today I knew they wouldn't disappoint.
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The plan went off without a hitch and soon Marco and I where bounding down a corridor with the muffled gunshots from James and Jo coming through the windows.
'Next left is the holding cell.' Marco said pointing at a door. I came up and gave it a good kick to send it crashing down. My gun jumped in my hands as a guard crumpled to the floor. Marco went up and snatched a key chain from his belt; he opened all the cells and only four people walked out.
'Four, where's the rest of you.' Marco spoke first.
'We are all that survived the test's.' Said what seemed to be the leader of the group, he was around the age of Marco and me and for being tested on he seemed all right.
'Right well get your stuff we're here to get you out.' I said checking outside the door, Helen should land in two minutes and she should land just as we got out to the roof. We got to the roof meeting only four other guards that were taking car of. The test subjects seemed docile even though there was gunfire sounding all round them. Helen landed and Jo helped everyone into the bay, the mission was a complete success in less then ten minutes. As we flew away we saw two tanks rolling out of the barracks, I thought I could see the disappointment in James eyes until I saw he was hit in the leg.
'James your hurt.' I blurted out reaching for a nearby med kit.
'Oh don't worry its only a flesh wound.' He shrugged of but I was going to attend the wound if he liked it or not, I didn't want him to die from loss of blood.
'Sir, if you mind.' Said the orphans' leader reaching out for the bandage and attending James wound. He worked professionally and had the blood stopped and wound covered in a minute with a clean tight bandage.
'That should do it.' He said getting up
'Wow thanks' James said stretching his leg.
'Where did you learn how to do that?' I asked once he sat down.
'Where we just came from'
'What?'
'The facility was researching genetic programming. Their ultimate goal was to be able to program their soldiers' brains to tweak their skills. Of course they didn't program something like close combat to us they only tried medical skills. I was the first test subject to successfully adapt to the programming.'
'How many was there to start with?'
'Twenty.'
'Twenty...I'm Frederick Stiles by the way and I know how hard it is being an orphan...'
'Daniel, name's Daniel and I'm not an orphan.'
'What?'
'You said twenty orphans, I was one of the twenty but I'm not an orphan.'
'So you actually have a family.'
'Yes when the UNSC came looking for orphans they didn't get enough from the orphanage so they got kids from neighbouring houses, I got caught up. So for the last six years I've lived in the same cell under the watchful eye of the UNSC.' At that point one of the orphans slouched over and fell off their chair. Daniel instantly jumped up and went to their help, watching Daniel I now saw what Matthews saw in me just 15 months ago. So then and there I made a decision to help give Daniel a good life, I just hope Matthews approved and Marco didn't get too angry.
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Six hours later I was in Commander Matthews office with the other orphans, the other squad members had gone off after the debriefing.
'So the resistance is willing to help you into a new life as a civilian or you can join us and fight the UNSC.' Matthews finished stubbing out his cigar and one by one they came up and told of what they wished. Two wished to return to normal civilian life and then it was Daniel's turn.
'I'd like to join the Resistance sir.' He said forcefully.
'Sure?' Matthews said offhandedly giving him a chance to go back.
'My best friend was programmed on the table beside me. It failed, his brain cells expanded and one by one exploded, it lasted 12 hours before he died. The doctors refused to give him a sedative or lethal injection; I was tied down for half a day listening to his screaming as UNSC doctors talked about what they had for lunch. I'd love the opportunity to bring the UNSC down.'
'Okay' Matthews said uneasily 'you can join sergeant Jones platoon-'
'Sir if you would.' I interrupted rising from my chair 'I would like to recruit Daniel into the Warrior's of Valour.'
'Do you think he's up to it?'
'Ever fired a gun?' I asked Daniel.
'Sure, they programmed weapon handling in us but kept all guns off base.'
'I think he's ready.' I announced to Matthews 'plus we need a good medic.'
'Okay, welcome to the Resistance Private Daniel.'
'And welcome to the Warriors of Valour.' I shook his hand, saluted Matthews and lead Daniel out of the room.
'Thanks, sir I really want to fight and to fight with you is a real honour.'
'Well that's not the complete deal. Daniel I want you too be my second-in-command.'
'But I haven't even been in the field.'
'Yes you have, the facility. I talked to the other orphans they said they would never of survived if you weren't there to lead them. You've got great leadership potential in you, I want it to come out.'
'I don't know.'
'Do you know how many missions I went on before I got squad leader of this squad. One mission. Matthews saw something in me that I now see in you, you don't have to take the position I'll still want you in my squad. It's just something I know you and the squad could benefit from.'
'I'm sorry sir but I don't think I'm ready for a command post' he said leaving me in the hallway, I'll ask him again at the briefing tomorrow though.
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'Good morning campers' I said as Marco came in his usual place as last.
'Oh come on sarge you should of seen this girl last night we-'
'Marco! Shut up' Helen said stopping the chatter.
'Now we've got ourselves another rescue mission this time workers building a new space port fairly insignificant for the UNSC so our mission isn't a great blow.' A complement of groan with a sarcastic 'Yah' of James came from the group.
'But here's the good news there is virtually no UNSC presence in the target zone. Just a small barracks in case of an emergency. At 2100 hours all prisoners are locked up in the dormitories and the guards go to there barrack. If we get in at 2200 hours we can get the prisoners out with little annoyance be back at base in time for the Resistance's trademark greasy breakfast.'
'Where are we going sir?' Helen asked with a smile.
'Believe it or not, Gilanta Nova II' with that Daniel's head stuck straight up 'what is it?' I asked.
'That's my...home planet.'
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