Turn 18 - Home

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Nick
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Turn 18 - Home

Post by Nick » Sun Aug 21, 2011 10:41 am

Gateway station, Sol system, In orbit around Terra
Mission timer: Could not synch. Not active.

The USS Costaguana had docked a few hours ago and the Marines were waiting for the ICC customs to do their routine and quaratine check before they were being allowed back onboard again. The Marines were in an arrival hall just aboard the Gateway. They could see the black/grey costaguana just outside the window, like a skyscraper laid on its side - Portruding out into the black vastness of space beyond. Below them the azure blue of the atlantic ocean shone agains them. Terra was a gem, of the countless of worlds visited by the marines combined none had come even close to its beauty.

Looking down through the quadruple plexi-glass they could see another storm drawing up just outside California. The swirl of the clouds looking so sirene from up here, but down there they were as fierce as ever. The climate changes the last century had meant more extreme weather and an increased water level as the oceans heated up. In addition to thermal expansion of the water the polar caps had all but melted away completely, adding their trillions upon trillions of water to the mix.

The first thing the Marines had had to do when they arrived back at Gateway was being briefed by an intelligence officer. The intelligence officer had stressed how important it was that the marines kept their vow of silence - And threatened legal actions for anyone breaking that vow. They were also informed that they were to be kept under close supervision the next four weeks for any signs of infection so R&R was postponed. They were to spend the next 4 weeks in Germany, at a military hospital of unknown name and position. They were however allowed to make supervised calls and send censored letters to next of kin if they wished.

The marines could not help but feeling a bit like they had done something wrong and were kept prisoner.

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Quinn
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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Quinn » Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:46 pm

Quinn laid upon a bed in a cordoned off wing of the hospital in Landstuhl, where they'd been flown down and interviewed via video conference that this mission was now Black Ops. Quinn gritted his teeth during that briefing. They'd found the scientific find of the MILLENNIUM, and now it was all under wraps. And without the backing from the military on the discovery, anything he would say would be viewed as a crackpot theory to be debunked by everyone around. It was pure bullshit.

But the discovery had fueled a fire within him that he didn't know existed. Humanity had been... no, not created, diverted towards killing these xenomorphs. The age old question of "what is our purpose?" had been answered. They were supposed to exterminate the bugs.

And that was just fine with him.

The other Marines in the room were doing their things, and Quinn was just thinking to himself.

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Duncan » Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:30 pm

Duncan enjoyed the chow at the base, where the quality of the food far exceeded the shipboard meals. Of course, he was only allowed whatever meals were sent to him, as he was prohibited from entering the cafeteria. Still, having spent two years in a restricted environment on a military proving ground, this environment was familiar. Considering what he'd just been through, it was actually comforting.

Sleep was another story. Nightmares of shapes moving in the darkness. Nightmares of falling. Nightmares of sinking in a sea of fuel pellets.

He had sent a letter to his parents. He wrote that he was in Germany, on layover. One of the liaisons said a small nutcracker was being sent to them in Duncan's name, to help the cover. Naturally, Duncan didn't mention what he saw. What would he say? Half of my squad was killed in front of me by bioengineered xenomorph forces. But hey, I bagged of the bastards, so you can tell the neighbors you have an alien hunter in the family. He wondered what else was out there.

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Obi » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:15 am

Obi sat next to the quite surprisingly comfortable chair in the ward that the platoon had been holed up in. He had arranged the chair so that he could lean down into it and put his feet up on the corner of his bed. Taking a sip of his really, really good coffee, Obi glanced around the ward. Some of the suriving marnines were dozing or reading, a few had ventured outside to explore the rest of the facilities at the base. Replacing the mug on the bedside table, Obi returned to his book. Reading a few paragraphs Obi found that he could not focus as his mind continued to wander back to the events of the previous mission. Obi sighed as be replaced his book mark and tossed the book back on the bed, his interest lost in the story. Looking up Obi noticed Quinn sitting up in the bed across from him seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

"Penny for your thoughts Quinn?" Obi asked as the Medic looked at him.

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by maxvale76 » Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:56 pm

Samantha had found a nice couch; kicked her boots off and was now lounging/laying down on it; enjoying the feeling of simply relaxing. She closed her eyes and brought back memories of the beaches and sea breeze of her home colony of New Kingston; anything to take her mind off of the Aliens and the enormous discoveries of their last mission.

Closing her eyes; Sam looked asleep to the others, but she wasn't; and she listened in to all of the conversations going on all around her...

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Quinn » Tue Aug 23, 2011 11:33 pm

Obi wrote:Looking up Obi noticed Quinn sitting up in the bed across from him seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

"Penny for your thoughts Quinn?" Obi asked as the Medic looked at him.

<tag Quinn>
"That the gag order is bullshit." he replied to Obi. Now that they were off-mission, rank was much more relaxed between the privates and corporals. Sergeants and Officers were still accorded respect due to their rank. "And my new mission in life is to kill as many of the bugs as possible."

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Obi » Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:59 am

Obi chuckled at the medics' no nonsense tone and very blunt answer. Leaning back Obi put his hands on the back of his head and looked at the ceiling as he marshelled his thoughts.

"I agree mate, the implications of this discovery is something that the world needs to be made aware of. I mean has how whole purpose of a species be fated to fight these things? Is it our destiny?" His voice trailed off as he thought about the enormity of the past events. Tipping forward in his seat Obi leaned forward and met Quinns eyes and his voice dropped to a low whisper.

"I do know this mate, I wouldn't be surprised if both ship's AI's are being wiped and I haven't seen any of the android's since we arrived. I have been watching the news when I can, but nothing has been mentioned. I wouldn't be suprised if they are vetting what information we can access here too." Obi paused and let out a sigh before continuing.

'But I here you mate, those things need to be exterminated, not just for every marine they have killed, but just because they need to be. So count me in."

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Quinn » Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:12 am

Obi wrote:Obi chuckled at the medics' no nonsense tone and very blunt answer. Leaning back Obi put his hands on the back of his head and looked at the ceiling as he marshelled his thoughts.

"I agree mate, the implications of this discovery is something that the world needs to be made aware of. I mean has how whole purpose of a species be fated to fight these things? Is it our destiny?" His voice trailed off as he thought about the enormity of the past events. Tipping forward in his seat Obi leaned forward and met Quinn's eyes and his voice dropped to a low whisper.

"I do know this mate, I wouldn't be surprised if both ship's AI's are being wiped and I haven't seen any of the android's since we arrived. I have been watching the news when I can, but nothing has been mentioned. I wouldn't be surprised if they are vetting what information we can access here too." Obi paused and let out a sigh before continuing.

'But I here you mate, those things need to be exterminated, not just for every marine they have killed, but just because they need to be. So count me in."

<tag Quinn>
"The world does need to be told, but without any evidence or backing, we'll look like a couple of crazies. And I'd rather be fighting and killing bugs." Quinn looked right back at Obi, his ice-blue eyes suddenly filled with a cold rage, so much as to remind Obi of an arctic storm. He replied just as quietly. "For Kurosaki."

Quinn had formed a bond with the younger asian man, leading him through the steps of commanding his own squad and forming him into a squad leader that held his own. On the first mission that Quinn had been given command over his own squad, the first mission that Quinn had not been there to guide Kurosaki, he had been killed in action. The guilt had built up into a rage when the Corps. told him that his letter to Kurosaki's family didn't pass the censors because the official story was an accident during a live-fire exercise. Quinn had vowed that somehow, Kurosaki's family would know that their son had faced the enemy, overcoming his personal fear at last, and had died doing the right thing.

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Obi » Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:38 pm

"The world does need to be told, but without any evidence or backing, we'll look like a couple of crazies. And I'd rather be fighting and killing bugs."
Obi lowered his eyes and nodded sadly as the face of the young asian NCO popped into his mind. "Amen to that. Him and a lot of other good marines too." Obi said softly and both marines sat there in silence, tormented by their own memories. Obi snorted and looked up at the medic and smiled wanely. "Well at least they will be right about the crazy part. You would have to be crazy to want to fight these things, so I guess it doesn't matter if the world thinks we are!"

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by maxvale76 » Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:37 pm

Listening to her squadmates; Sam suddenly put in; "Well; whatever we may have been.... designed...for; I know I joined the USCM to do my best to ensure that everyone has a choice as to what they want to do with thier lives. At the moment; that would seem to indicate that we, as the best trained and equipped to deal with it; are the ones to take the war to these aliens to make sure that they're not a threat to those we protect."

Suddenly aware of people paying attention to her 'thoughts out loud', Sam got a bit self-conscious and said; "Well....that's what an E2 thinks anyway.....that and a 5 spot will get you a cup of tea."

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by kbeir » Sun Aug 28, 2011 4:36 am

Joe felt totally dumbfounded still as they went through Quarantine on Gateway followed by a stay in a hospital in Germany. As his thoughts wandered he figured it'd be nice if he could get out and see his family's homeland but they'd been restricted. Their discovery and all.

Damn.

The platoon seemed to just relax in the hospital area. Damning their luck that they had made the greatest discovery in the history of mankind and now they were told to shutup about all of it. Most likely so Corporate could either cover it up, take it for all its resources/information, or build up the project to be their world shattering announcement.

Joe lit a cigarette, figuring that with all the bull, they could eat it. He did the platoon a favor though and stood by a cracked window.

"Just so those fucks can make a big chunk of money when they announce it to the world... if they do. Or they use the knowledge to make enough advances here and there to report a profit.:

Corporations...

Joe sighed as he continued smoking.

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Rascal » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:16 pm

Rascal stood near the edge of his cot, telling everyone, at least anyone who cared to listen, that he saw the inevitable cover-up coming. He didnt care that the Company had told him to keep quiet; as far as he knew, they had no right hiding the details of the operation. Too many had died in their botched journey into that hell hole, far too many to keep a lid on it, let alone pretend it never happened.

Eventually he grew tired of ranting to deaf ears, and slumped back down into his cot. He took a moment to glance back at the mission, grateful he made it out safely. Rascal looked about the room, studied his fellow troops momentarily, then made up his mind and picked up an old battered journal he kept at the bottom of his duffel bag.

The Company and the Marines could do whatever was necessary to keep them quiet, but he would be damned if the story wasnt told somehow. Maybe one day he'd be able to, but, for now, it would be perfectly safe within the confines of its pages.

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Duncan » Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:32 am

As he listened to the discussion about destiny, protecting civilians, and payback, Duncan chuckled. "Extermination? You think the brass is going to go for that kind of commitment? Or are you presuming that we're going to wipe them all out ourselves? I'm not keen on suicide missions. Hell, we killed more of them than they killed of us. Doesn't make you feel any better, does it?"

It was perhaps more cynical than he had wanted. But hearing his platoon get obsessed about an enemy that had been spread across the galaxy over millenia unnerved him. He didn't want to go into battle with squadmates who were going to put themselves and others in danger.

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Re: Turn 18 - Home

Post by Obi » Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:38 pm

"Extermination? You think the brass is going to go for that kind of commitment? Or are you presuming that we're going to wipe them all out ourselves? I'm not keen on suicide missions. Hell, we killed more of them than they killed of us. Doesn't make you feel any better, does it?"
Obi turned towards Duncan and meet the other marines eyes. Obi spoke in deliberate, cold, detached voice that caused the other marines around them to shrink back as the easy going Australian's tone had switched to something they very rarely heard from him.

"Why yes it would make me feel better. It would pay to remember that some of us have a great deal more experience in our dealing with these things and a lot of fine marines have paid the price with their blood." Obi paused his brow darkening as continued in that very cold delibrate tone.

"Can you imagine what it would be like if those things get on a colony world? We are talking entire settlements wiped out. Men, women and children. They have no mercy or concept of compassion. They will kill everything. Do you get it? Do you realise how hard it would be to quarantine in the ensuing panic? They will spread like a bush fire and you are looking at the fate of the human race." So yeah marine, it would make me feel a lot better."

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