Mission Two; Turn 1

The 9th campaign
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Dugan
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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Dugan » Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:45 am

Simovic stood sipping a cup of coffee and listened to all of the platoons discontent about the coming mission.
Morse wrote:

But why's it everytime they send a call fer commission on account a some rich nut doc doin somethin crazy, they grab us? Why can't they just send some other group a assholes, why's it always this group a assholes? The brass taken bets on breakers' and takers, er we just gettin unlucky when they grab names outa a hat?" Morse asked in an open question. His view on the corps, as well on the usual issue their unit had to take up were well known. It wasn't intended in a deconstructive way, but it was really a question that was always on his mind.

< Tag all
Quinn wrote:
"I say in this next mission we should do "scorched earth"." Quinn muttered. He wasn't suggesting they actually go against orders, but it was how he felt. His tone of voice was unnaturally vicious. "Teach the corporates that they want us to clean up their mess, we do it our way. No politics, no profit factors. Just leave nothing behind us but craters and radiation."

He sighed, letting go of the momentary rage and regaining his legendary cool. "Sorry Staff, didn't intend that to slip out." he apologized to Dugan.

<tag Marines>
Obi wrote:
"Have we got any hard intel on how many numbers and weapons that the enemy forces can bring against us? As well, what is their level of training and morale ect? Plus, how many of those alien things could we be dealing with?" Obi asked as he looked up.

<tag SSGT>

He decided to address everyone as it was easier. "I know it seems like we're getting the shitty end of the deal here, but we are the closest Stike Team within this sector, it would take several weeks for the next nearest one to get to Forge and I have had word their Jump Drive is malfunctioning. So we're just going to have to suck it up and get on with it. Plus brass considers us specialists in dealing with Xenomorphs, I'm trying to negotiate us a new rate of pay based on this. Quinn no apology needed I'd be with you on nuking the site but I'm afraid we have to do what our orders state or we get reprimanded, even if it means doing things the hard way. Lastly with regards Intel the best man to speak to is Captain Ryan"

<Tag Platoon>

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Obi » Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:33 am

Obi leaned back in his seat as the Staff answered the marines questions directly. Chewing on the end of his stylus, Obi pondered what the Staff had said. "To hell with the new pay grade Staff. Pay isn't any good when you are dead anyway. I say we get the good Captain Ryan down here to say his piece."

<tag SSGT>
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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Morse » Mon Aug 23, 2010 6:29 pm

Obi wrote:"To hell with the new pay grade Staff. Pay isn't any good when you are dead anyway. I say we get the good Captain Ryan down here to say his piece."

Morse laughed a bit at the idea, his bitter nature tending towards the opposition of most discussions of policy. But Morse was an opportunist above all else, which was part of the reason he joined the Corps in the first place. The benefits and information received in the Corps, not to mention the constant unspent pay checks, it was just like being being paid for sitting in cryo.

"Well as agreeable as it is that it aint gonna be no good when'n we're fed n' dead, it'll sure keep me a fat tick on a ten tocks while I'm alive." Morse said, laughing at his own remark. He loved the idea of being paid more, and if the opportunity came up, he wouldn't turn it down.

< Tag Obi


"My main issue'n all this is it always seems mighty convenient as were the only ones ever called to do somethin' when it comes to them giant ass grasshoppers with green blood. Ya'd think they would give us a bit of a break once in a while, stead a callin' us everytime somethins set n' mess."

< Tag all

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Obi » Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:18 am

"Well as agreeable as it is that it aint gonna be no good when'n we're fed n' dead, it'll sure keep me a fat tick on a ten tocks while I'm alive." Morse said, laughing at his own remark. He loved the idea of being paid more, and if the opportunity came up, he wouldn't turn it down.
Obi lazily looked over towards the laughing CPL. "Mate, I would give away my pay packet gladly for some solid intelligence on this place." A slow smile spread across Obis' face.

"Though you do raise a very valid point. It seems we are the go to platoon for dealing with these things. Perhaps we should consider charging the Corps our services on an hourly basis?"

<tag Morse>
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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Sam » Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:01 pm

Lone Bear listened to everything that was said and read everything there was to read. He was not a talker at the best of times, and he was a little overwhelmed by the information he was taking in.

Unlike some in the Strike Team, Lone Bear was not an old hand dealing with aliens, especially not these things called Xenomorphs. All he had was second- and third-hand stories to work from, and though there were veterans of combat with the things in this unit, Lone Bear did not know them well enough to corner and squeeze them for more information.

When Corporal Valentine gave her rallying speech, Lone Bear stayed silent. He understood what she was saying, but he didn't have words yet for the experience he was facing. It wasn't the men, the mercenaries, that discomfited him, but the aliens. What would it be like to face them? Were they as deadly as he had heard? He did not much like the idea of being taken apart by something without a human heart.

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Morse » Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:26 pm

Morse laughed at the concept of getting more intelligence on the creatures. But as he did another concept came into his mind. That fear he’d had for a while, but he wasn’t sure of a right way to phrase it. ”Aint no point in tryin’ to get nothin’ more’n what we find out on the shit rocks that is the colonies.” Morse said, spitting out his utter distaste for the colonies. ”Course I don’t think it’s sittin well on a welder the idea that our package a pay’s gonna be matched with the ones that aint got any idea what they’re doin’ out there. Em’ crickets aint exactly easy to cope with first time er’ seen.” Morse said. It was difficult to understand him, but he was conveying a thought that it wasn’t fair to pay the people who had no experience in doing what they did, the same as the rest of them.

< Tag Obi

Morse rolled his eyes a bit. He wanted a drink, but he was fairly certain someone would start a big mess over it, namely one of the sergeants, if he took his flask out. So he waited. ”I don’t know. Seems like were getting’ set up fer a stab in the ass. That the only bonus to be given to the livin’ is a front line pass to the memory wipes. Just sayin’, I aint keen on losin’ bit’s I don’t have to.” Morse said, finally getting to the fear he had. Every mission he always had the same issue that they would get to deep into something, and they would have to have pieces taken out.


< Tag all

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Darkblade Bug » Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:48 pm

As he heard the marines complaining around him, Sam Jack Dunn sighed and shook his head, tuning out their self-pitying whining by popping a pair of headphones into his ears and putting on some old Aussie folk music. As the soothing tones calmed his slightly frayed nerves, he read over the mission objectives on more time, and let out a dry, humourless chuckle. Of course they were getting a shitty mission. Did these people really expect that the brass would let their considerable experience go to waste on a milk run and set some other, less experienced unit on this one to get killed?

He went over the data another time. It wasn’t as bad as it looked. If there were bugs on the loose, then by the time they got there, containment would almost certainly be breached. If there were any Corporate mercenaries left after the bugs got loose…well, they’d have their hands full, wouldn’t they? Sam had known a fair few Mercs in his time, and he knew that most of them didn’t consider any amount of money worth dying for. They’d work with the Marines if it meant not getting face-raped and killed.

Still, he couldn’t take that for granted. Lesson one of combat – never take anything for granted, ever. The moment you did that, you’d assume things, and you’d stop checking, stop looking, stop planning. Then, you started dying. His mind drifted for a moment back to his old platoon in the SASR. They’d made that mistake, and it had cost them dear. Sam had gotten lucky – all he had lost was his eyes. He wasn’t about to make that mistake ever again. Shaking his mind back to the present, he heard the one called Morse whine a little more, and decided he’d heard enough.

Getting to his feet, the young soldier walked to Morse with murder glinting in his one good eye. He reached out with a gloved hand and grabbed the older soldier by the collar of his shirt, pulling him in close so that his nose was a mere inch from his. His teeth bared in an angry snarl, his words were filled with venom.

“Listen here, mate. If you keep your self-pitying whining up, I’m going to break a few dozen military regulations - starting with your face. All this talk of money and an easy ride is starting to make you sound a lot like a Corporate mercenary to me. If you’re in this outfit for the money, then I suggest you get your arse the fuck out before you get good people killed. Seriously, the Corporates pay a lot more and you’ll mostly be babysitting beakers with thick glasses. Seems like a good job for you, seeing as how you’ve obviously forgotten what the Marines are all about.”

He gripped tighter, though he leaned back slightly, to give the other man a tiny bit of space. When he next spoke, his voice had grown lower and quieter.

“I once fought alongside a soldier who thought like you. He didn’t have his heart in the right place and thought of the army as easy money for a little risk. He got his squad killed, then his platoon, then the platoon that went and tried to bail him out. That’s about fifty people dead because one person was too fucking selfish to stick his neck out for anyone else. I shot the son of a bitch myself, and if your actions get anyone killed, then you had better pray to whatever deity you hold dear for mercy, because I’ll be coming after you, and you’ll get no mercy from me.”
<Tag Morse>

He then let go of the man’s uniform and took a step back, turning to face the rest of the unit. He raised his voice so that they could all hear, his voice filled with scorn and disgust.

“You should feel fucking ashamed of yourselves. You whine at the brass because they give us the hard missions? Of course they’re going to throw the worst shit that comes their way at us – we’re the only people with a better chance than that of a baby in dingo territory of dealing with it and getting out alive. Why the hell do you think they formed this task force? Not because we’re going to win the Miss Universe Pageant, that’s for sure! We’re all here because we know better than anyone else the threat that these Xenomorphs face. Think about it. One single solitary bug is smart enough and tough enough to give a squad of heavily armed and highly trained marines the fight of their life.

What do you think would happen if that same bug got onboard a colony ship? Or a colony itself? What do you think the end result would be if a Xenomorph made its way to Earth? How long would your loved ones back home last against a little bug, let alone a big one? We’re here because if we do not stop these bugs right now, if we don’t get in there and kill every single one of them, then that’s what is going to happen. Maybe not today, maybe not this year, but if we back out because we’re not getting paid enough and the brass have to send in a platoon of marines without anti-Xeno experience…

…Then everything we hold dear is forfeit.

I know we’re getting a raw deal. I know we’re going to walk into hell and nobody’s going to thank us. I know there’s a good chance I’m not walking out again. I’m going in anyway. Because thanks to good fortune, I am a United States Colonial Marine. For those of you who forgot the oath you made when you joined, that means that we’re here to protect our people, our nation and our species from whatever is dumb enough to threaten us. So check your attitudes, and turn your creative talent from how you can get a pay-raise and start thinking about how we’re going to get through this obstacle course of fuckery without getting good people killed.

Because we’re the only ones who can.”

<Tag Everyone>

He shook his head, sighed deeply and turned away from the marines, a look of disappointment in his one good eye. He shouldn’t have been the one to say that – he’d gone and alienated his new unit on his first meeting with them. Still, it had been something that had to be said, and he didn’t regret his words. He walked back to his seat and picked up his PDA, going over the briefing one more time, turning his mind away from the soldiers around him. He shook his head again, and headed for the exit, opening the door.

“I’ll be in the armoury getting the gear packed and ready.” He said curtly, before walking out of the brief room.

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Morse » Wed Aug 25, 2010 6:50 pm

(I foresee fun times ahead)

Morse was completely surprised by being snatched up from his seat. Granted he didn’t weigh very much, which came in handy for him when he was running, but this wasn’t exactly the sort of situation where one would expect a pop quiz in sensory basics. But by nature Morse wasn’t one much for nonverbal confrontation. He wasn’t very good in terms of a fistfight, and had always been one to take advantage when it presented itself. So when the new attachment to the group was clearly putting himself in a position for such an engagement, Morse was unprepared.


”News flash asshole, them things already landed on Earth. October 6th a last year. And it was us ‘shameful’ fucks what done took care a the problem. So fuck you!” Morse yelled snidely at the man as he was leaving. The information was de-classified for everyone there. And as far as Morse was concerned, if he wanted to make an ass out of himself, without actually having looked up everything he should have, that was his problem. Of course this one of the very few times Morse considered the concept of rank. And to his knowledge it was considered a very high crime for a bottom of the pyramid troop to kill a superior.

< Tag Darkblade



Morse then turned to Dugan, the man who was rightly in charge of the whole thing, for a bit of clarification.

”Beggin’ your pardon sir, but what the fuck was that!” Morse asked somewhat exasperated. ”Last I checked, Privates killin superiors aint’ legal. And I can’t say it sits right with me to have a murderin’ nut tap on this mission with us? “

< Tag Dugan


”Surely aint none a the rest ya’ll thinkin’ this here’s a fine a sign!?” Morse announced sitting back down in his seat. They had been calmly going over relevant information from what he could tell. It didn’t seem exactly healthy to him to be biting down on the fact that if they didn’t succeed the universe was going to end.

< Tag All

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Quinn » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:20 pm

Quinn turned his head to face Dunn, and pulled a piece of paper from his tunic.

"Listen up boyo, and listen well. You're the Fuckin New Guy in this platoon, and you don't have a right to call us out until you've been screwed by intel and corporates as much as we have. You talk about "knowin what we were signing up to do", then shut your face and realize that you're talking and threatening superior non-commissioned officers. Quinn held the piece of paper out to Dunn. "Go ahead, call this man's parents, tell them that we have no right to bitch about cleaning up the corporates messes when he took one of their bullets. You go and tell them that."

He kept his hand stretched out, the number to Patch's family written on it. The man's eyes were hard, almost like ice.

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Casey » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:03 pm

To be completely honest, Corporal Valentine felt a little responsible for the violent exchange, though to be fair; she had only hoped for a little minor bickering. From her seat, she could weigh the pros to each of the two's arguments, but she still felt that Dunn was way out of line in his demeanor. It was hard for her to decide if she was angry by his aggression and tone of voice, or depressed by his dark, bleak outlook on things. She couldn't share the same negativity, at least towards the aliens; it'd be like blaming a bullet for killing someone, or a biological weapon for the genocide of the species, and never once stopping to blame the hand that released them. As far as she knew, there's been no recorded way that these things have any means of extra-planetary travel, which meant that the real assholes were the ones transporting them for 'study'. Assholes like good old Doctor Grissom, who'll probably never see a public trial or be made aware to the general public, allowing him to become just another corporate secret.

She kept her concerns to herself, and fought the urge to intervene between Morse, Dunn, and Quinn with the certainty that SSGT would handle it before it got out of control. Tension remained uncomfortably high though, and urged her from her seat to take a few calm steps away from the huddle of raised voices.

"Not exactly what I meant when I asked for an Oorah."

She murmured beneath her breath.

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Dugan » Thu Aug 26, 2010 1:00 am

Simoivc was a bit taken aback by Dunns outburst, he'd definately overstepped the mark.
Morse wrote: Morse then turned to Dugan, the man who was rightly in charge of the whole thing, for a bit of clarification.

”Beggin’ your pardon sir, but what the fuck was that!” Morse asked somewhat exasperated. ”Last I checked, Privates killin superiors aint’ legal. And I can’t say it sits right with me to have a murderin’ nut tap on this mission with us? “

< Tag Dugan


"Shit, I don't know but I intend to find out!"

<Tag Morse>

Simovic then headed off towards the armoury. Entering the room he found Dunn packing his gear up for the coming mission. Marching up to the Pvt he spoke his voice raised and hs anger barely contained "Look Dunn I don't know how they teach things in SASR but in the USCM being a team player is the be all and end all. You don't pull that sort of crap like you did back there if you want to get respect, afterall these Marines you are so dissapointed in will be the ones watching your back when the lead starts flying. If you have a problem with what someones saying you speak to them in a civilised manner and don't address them like their something you just found on the bottom of your shoe, do you understand? Because if you don't you might as well just keep packing your gear up in that bag and I'll arrange for you to get a transfer back to your beloved SASR!".


<Tag Dunn>

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Dirk Pitt » Thu Aug 26, 2010 1:12 am

Dirk lit a cigarette as he listened to the briefing turn into a battle. It never failed, a new guy comes in and starts talking shit and the vets smack him down. The Corps never changed. Standing up he crossed the room and poured himself a cup of coffee. Taking a sip he tried not to recoil at what the Marines tried to pass off as coffee.

Walking back over to the mess that was rapidly spinning out of control he put a hand on Quin's shoulder.

"Let it go Quin. It won't do anyone any good. You know that" Dirk managed to say in a low voice.

<Tag Quin>

Then turning to Dunn he fixed his eyes on the man. "I don't know who the fuck you think you are Marine, but the surest way to get men killed in the field is to start fucking with your NCOs before an operation. I fought with these men and they are the best the Corps has to offer. We bitch but we get the job done. What ever is going through that mind of your I want you to lock it the fuck up. You get me? And the next time you threaten one of the NCOs in a unit I am serving in, I shit you not, you will be under the fucking brig, if you are lucky enough to make it there. Got it?" Dirk growled.

<Tag Darkblade Bug>

Not waiting for a response he turned and walked back to his seat and sat back down, slowly going over any information he could get.

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Obi » Thu Aug 26, 2010 8:24 am

Obi nearly fell out of his seat and felt his jaw drop as the new aussie in the platoon, yanked Morse up and out of his seat and gave him a verbal tongue lashing. Obi quickly looked around the briefing room catching the eyes of the other marines, watching as the SSGT and SGT's intervened and stopped Dunn and Morse from trading blows. The rest of the platoon looked away in an uncomfortable silence, as the SNCO shouted and regained control. Obi followed Private Dunn with his eyes as he exited the briefing room.
”Surely aint none a the rest ya’ll thinkin’ this here’s a fine a sign!?” Morse announced sitting back down in his seat
"Well. He seems like a well balanced individual. I thought he was going to give you a pash, Morse, when he held you up so close like that." Obi said dryly.
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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Quinn » Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:26 am

Dirk Pitt wrote:Dirk lit a cigarette as he listened to the briefing turn into a battle. It never failed, a new guy comes in and starts talking shit and the vets smack him down. The Corps never changed. Standing up he crossed the room and poured himself a cup of coffee. Taking a sip he tried not to recoil at what the Marines tried to pass off as coffee.

Walking back over to the mess that was rapidly spinning out of control he put a hand on Quinn's shoulder.

"Let it go Quinn. It won't do anyone any good. You know that." Dirk managed to say in a low voice.

<Tag Quinn>
"Aye sarge. Just keep that greenie away from me. Not liable for my actions in the next few hours if he gets too close." Sixtus growled and walked to the other side of the room, folding the piece of paper he had and putting it back in his pocket. He poured himself a cup of coffee with no cream or sugar. He'd been up too late the previous evening trying to find out what he would tell Patch's folks.

He sat back down at the table and sipped the cup, not minding the horrendous taste of burnt insta-coffee.

Not a good idea to piss off the only medic in the platoon either dumbshit. he thought to himself.

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Re: Mission Two; Turn 1

Post by Morse » Thu Aug 26, 2010 3:16 pm

Morse was never one much to get extremely worked up over things. Times like that only happened to him when he was in a combat zone under fire, but once outside of it, he tended to be much calmer.

"Balance?" Morse repeated, as he wasn't sure what the last part of the sentence meant. "Balance is me runnin' around on every hell packed colony from here to Huran, carryin' a K52 and a light machine gun. This guy's got some bad flavor a fluid leakin' in his brain, what's makin' he see shit that aint there." Morse said leaning back in his seat.

< Tag Obi

He was shaking just a bit, so he decided it was a proper time as any to take a drink from his canteen, which was filled with 'homebrew'. He'd learned from previous encounters that using a canteen instead of a flask just tended to go over better. The alcoholic content in the drink wasn't even all that high anyway, so it was barely a problem, with the exception of the burning smell and taste which other people seemed to have a problem with.

"Man I love meetin' new people." Morse said, with a clearly sarcastic tone, and took a drink from the canteen.

<Tag All

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