The Pelican slowly descended into the canyon. I sat in the back with some supplies checking my DMR for the 3rd time this trip.
"Alight this is you stop," said the pilot muttered as I stepped off the pelican to see a metallic base with a solider in Maroon with an Assault rifle standing guard on top.
"Hey Sarge, the new recruit has arrived," yelled said solider. I decided to help unload the shipment with the crew members while I was waiting.
[_]
I heard footsteps behind me as I unloaded the last of the stuff. "You must be the new recruit," said a gruff voice. I turn around to see a solider in red armor with a shotgun looking me over.
"I take it you are the Sargent," I asked the solider.
"You would be correct in that assumption rookie," said the Sargent. "You will refer to me as Sarge or Sir."
"Yes, Sir," I said respectfully. "Where do you want this stuff, Sir?"
"In the storage room in the base," replied the Sargent. "Simmons and Grif will show you where it is, SIMMONS, GRIF, Get over here double time."
I turn to look at the base and see the Maroon solider from earlier jogging To our position,
"Private Simmons reporting," he said as he saluted.
"Where is Grif," asked a clearly frustrated sargent.
"Dragging his ass like usual," replied the private. I glance towards the base to see a Orange solider holding a pistol dragging his feet while moving at a very slow pace.
"Grif hurry up," yelled the red solider.
"Why? There is almost always nothing to do expect listen to the Ramblings of a senile old man," the solider said quite disrespectfully to the sargent as he finally made it. The sargent responded by shooting him with his shotgun. The orange solider doubled over on the ground from pain while he coughed up blood.
"Insubordination is punishable by my shotgun court martial," The sargent yelled at the Orange slob.
"Why did you call us over hear, sir?" The maroon solider asked.
"You were called here to show the rookie around the base and help take the supplies to the storage room. The latter first," The red solider ordered.
"Yes, sir" The maroon solider yelled with the utmost respect. "Grab a crate and and Follow me, rookie."
I nodded silently as I put away my rifle I was holding and grabbed two crates and began to follow. I glance back to see the orange solider carrying the smallest crate while moving at the slowest possible pace.
[_]
I sighed as I dragged in the last few from the supplies, I decided to report to Private Simmons, who was waiting next to a doorway.
"So are you ready for the tour?" Said solider asked.
I nodded again but he did not seem to care about the silent response.
"Well you have seen the storage room, over there is the bunks, there is the main room but it is mostly unused since it has our flag, There is the mess hall, hope you like MRE because that is all we get, and there is the sargent's quarters do not go in there he will kill us all if you do, finally there is the vehicle the warthog it does not have enough seats for all six of us sadly,"
I decided to ask a question, "Six I have only seen three?"
"Oh, right well six including you, "He said slightly embarrassed." There is Donut the last rookie, and Lopez the mechanic who is also our robot," I decided to not ask about them having a robot. "Well that concludes the tour not much to see in this outpost," he says concluding the tour. "I do have a question why do you have that rifle?" he asks gesturing towards the rifle still on my back.
"Right, I was the designated marksman in my last squad." I reply simply.
"Well to keep that gun you have to still be the best shot here and since no one has sniper training and Grif is lazy that leaves me and Donut for you to compete against.
"Ok just show me to the range."
[_]
"Ok all Rookie you go first," said Grif through the microphone lazily. We were at the shooting range with Grif and Simmons, we could not find Donut ,so it was just us."3, 2, 1, go." Grif said lazily
I started by hitting the first target in front of me then one appeared to my left which I quickly shot then shot one to my right. This continued on for five minutes me not missing a single target until Grif stopped the automated targets.
"Well that is enough, I think he just proved to us that he is more than qualified to Be The Designated Marksman since we can't even last two minutes on that thing," He said with a hint of respect in his voice.
"Agreed," said Simmons in a similar tone. "Congrats you get to keep your rifle."
"Thanks, I am going to get some sleep, wake me up when I have guard duty," I said exhaustion lining my voice.
"I think I will do the same," mumbled Grif lazily.
"but you were sleeping almost thirty minutes ago," argued Simmons. I did not stay to listen to the argument. I walked to the bunk and laid down. The bliss that was sleep took me over almost immediately. I did not care as the would became nothing but darkness.