Scorpion Strike

Chapter 1

Soldier Side Pt 1

Moscow, Russia 2014

Cold snow blew in furious storm throughout the city, but it didn't bother Captain Steele and his squad. He and the rest of Bravo Company of the third Ranger Battalion were part of the force sent in to neutralize a warlord responsible for 12 UN workers deaths. So far progress had been hampered by both the weather and insurgents. Steele was about to call it a night when one of his men raised a hand. The signal for a high ranking official.

"What have you got?" Steele asked Master Sergeant Lewis.

"Looks like on e of his lieutenants," Lewis replied looking through the AKOG of his M16A4. "Two bodyguards, both armed with Aks, one with an RPG-7"

"Good. Raise our boy and tell him."

Corporal Strank powered on the squads SINGCAR radio and began relaying street coordinates.

"Now time to sit back and enjoy the show."

James Masterson aka Silent Scopion showed no signs of movement a block away. Snow piled lightly on his ACUs. On his chest his airborne wings glittered black and his Ranger tab made him feel ten times stronger.

Lightly, he began taking aim with his Dragonov sniper rifle and took aim at the man in the street.

He had been attached to 3/75 Rangers to lend them a hand on this mission. He didn't mind. James trusted his Ranger brethren with all his heart.

The crosshairs lined up and he waited a moment. The green light greeted his CODEC moment later.

One shot

One kill

Kill we will

Tokyo-3, 2015

James woke with a start and saw faint light coming through the blinds. He stretched for a moment before getting up and going to the bathroom, not before securing a tanto knife and his Colt .44 Special.

Several minutes later he emerged wearing his SNIPER sneaking suit with all his equipment attached to it. Checking his watch he scribbled a note for Asuka and Garland telling them he had left for NERV. Today he was to be teaching the children on the range. After finishing pistols and assault rifles it was time for sniper rifles.

Several hours later

"Remember the fundamentals!" James shouted to the children after the last firing order. Shinji lowered his head guiltily as he lowered the PSG-1.

"I'm sorr…" Shinji began before he was cut off.

"Don't apologize. You are all rushing your shots."

Asuka looked through the scope in a huff. "What's the point in spending five minutes lining up one shot?"

Snake gave a smirk as if to say, 'She's your girlfriend."

"Asuka, in the kind of situations I'm talking about, one shot is all you get. Now repeat the fundamentals!"

"Steady position, aim, breath control and trigger squeeze," the children said in unison.

'Then do it! Switch your selector level to semi and scan your lane."

Scorpion watched them all go stiff as they looked through their scopes at the 300 yard targets. The 150 and 200 had gone well but now they were getting to farther ranges their inexpierience was catching up to them.

Snake walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on kid, they only started today. You had years of training, they've had three hours."

Scorpion was about to reply when two figures came into the room.

"Attention!" Scorpion yelled as Commander Silverburgh and another officer in Army greens entered the room.

"Relax James," Meryl said as she observed the children firing. "I see they're making progress."

"Not as much as I had hoped ma'am."

"Give them time. How have you been feeling?"

Scorpion sighed. She was referring to the Angel attack a week ago.

"Alright…"

"Alright? From what I've been hearing everyone else seems to differ. Garland says you haven't been sleeping and Section 2 says you've been out of it during security."

"Just a lot on my mind."

Meryl shook her head. "Doesn't matter, I've got something to take your mind off things. You remember Captain Steele don't you?"

Scorpion smiled and shook hands with his old comrade. "Rangers lead the way."

"Hoo-ah." Steele replied. "You're looking good. Bet you can still nail a haji from a 1000 yards in your sleep."

"One shot, one kill…"

"Kill we will."

Meryl stifled a laugh. Sometimes she didn't understand the nuances of the Rangers and other Special Forces groups, but she knew that 3/75 were among the best soldiers in the world.

"Something's come up James, meet us in the briefing room in ten minutes."

Twenty minutes later

Scorpion entered the room and nodded toward the figures present. NERV's Commander and Special operations Officer, Kozou Fuyutuski and Major Misato Katsuragi respectively. Commander Silverburgh, CPT Steele and CPT Simmons of Easy Co from the 3/75.

"Let's get down to business," Meryl began. "Approximately 12 days ago a large group of armed Tengus seized the city of Mogadishu, Somalia. At first we didn't place much interest because power struggles there are nothing new. Then 3 days ago the situation changed."

A screen came up of three large Hind choppers carrying a crate.

"Infared identifies it as one of the Rays. Apparently, we don't have all of them."

Scorpion peered at the specs. "Damn, but why there?"

CPT Simmons spoke next. "We believe that by expanding into Somalia the Sons of Liberty are beginning to make their move into other parts of the world. Intel over there has been shaky since TF Ranger."

Task Force Ranger had been the Delta assisted Ranger mission to depose General Aidid to begin helping the starving people of Somalia. IT was now known as Operation Black Hawk Down.

"Bravo and Easy Companies have already landed in Mogadishu and are facing off against the Tengus. Our intel informs us that they have about a battalion stationed there.

Scorpion pondered these numbers. 1200-1500 well-armed Tengus versus 576 Airborne Rangers. Bad odds even for the cream of the crop.

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Lieutenant-Colonel Ivey has proposed a trade," Meryl said. "For FOXHOUND assistance in this mission he'll afterwards assign Bravo and Easy to Tokyo-3 to assist in the safeguarding of NERV and Arsenal. Seeing as how you yourself are Ranger qualified I though you would be best for this mission."

Scorpion shook his head.

"I've got enough on my plate as it is."

Meryl nodded and typed in a few commands.

"One of the CIA spies identified who's in charge over there."

A familiar face came up on the screen. The one that haunted his dreams and tormented his days. Revolver Ocelot.

"Sources say he'll control the area in a week."

One Hour Later

Scorpion finished lacing his boots and looked at himself in the mirror. He was dressed in an Army Combat Uniform with an IBA (Internal Ballistic Armor) and LBV (Load Bearing Vest) on top. He spurred the Kevlar helmet instead taking a camo soft cap, in the Ranger style. Scorpion filled six magazines with 7.62 fin-stabilized sabot rounds for his SVD Dragonov sniper rifle. He also put 4 speedloaders with .44 wad-cutter rounds for his sidearm. Finally he strapped Fate, his seventeen-inch wakasaki sword, to his left leg and inserted a Bowie knife into his boot.

"Were you going to say goodbye?"

Scorpion turned to see the auburn haired love of his life, Asuka Langley Sorhyu standing at the door to the locker room.

"I just got the assignment a little while ago."

Asuka ambled over to him and placed her arms around his shoulders.

"Please don't go. I don't want to lose you."

Scorpion returned the embrace and buried his face in her shoulder. What could he say. He could make no promises as to his safety. The thought of never seeing her again filled his heart with a feeling he had neverr experienced and made tears well in his eyes.

"Asuka," he whispered. "Just remember no matter how far away I am, my only thought is going to be seeing you again."

And getting revenge on Ocelot, he added as an afterthought to himself.

Asuka gave a weak smile and pulled out an envelope.

"Commander Silverburgh wanted me to give this to you."

Scorpion tore it open and found a letter and a pin for his soft cap. The letter contained his secret orders and a pin for his soft cap. The orders were to terminate both Metal Gear and Ocelot on site, despite the Ranger's wishes to capture both. Also, the letter informed him of a field commision to Major. Asuka grinned and mock saluted.

"Permission to put the pin on you sir?"

"Scorpion smiled and bent slightly to allow her pin his rank on. He could smell her shampoo and wanted nothing more than to never stop this moment. As she stood on her tip-toes she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. They stayed this way for several moments before it deepened and she pulled away.

"We'll finish that when you get back James."

She took his hand and walked with him to the hangar where CPT Masaki's Black Hawk was waiting. Steele and Simmons saluted as he approached.

"RANGER'S LEAD THE WAY, SIR!"

He returned the salute. "Lead the way."

He turned to Asuka and kissed her passionately before boarding the chopper, equipping his rifle in the process. Scorpion turned and waved as they took off.

Asuka stood there for a moment, feeling her heart break slightly. She had seen him go in an instant from her love to a killer before the blink of an eye.

"Be careful James, I love you."

She began walking back to Terminal Dogma and found garland along the way.

"Hey Asuka, has James left?" He asked as he began walking with her.

"Just now…"

Garland sensed her sadness and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"He'll be okay. That kid has more spunk than the whole army put together. This will give him some time to recover after last week.

She nodded and looked back at the Angel attack. For the brief moment their minds had been linked she had felt as if the field of bodies surrounding them had been her doing. As if she had killed them for no reason as James himself had. One bdy kept recurring to her.

A beautiful blonde woman. A knife had been embedded in her chest and a bullet hole between her eyes. But most disturbing was the peaceful smile on her face. As though in death she had found the happiness she never had in life. Who was she?

James looked down at the Korean Peninsula as landed to refuel. He took out a can of Skoal and inserted a wad of tobacco in his mouth. Spitting once he close his eyes to catch some sleep. As he drifted off a song came played over his CODEC as if just for him.

'Welcome to the Soldier Side

There is no one here but me

People all grow up to die

There is no one here but me.'

A/N The first part of my side story to Shardclaw Kusanagi's fic "Children of Eangelion' In the next chapter, James and the Rangers will begin their long battle to defeat Ocelot and his army. Leading to death and more bodies than ever before.

Disclaimer: All things Evangelion owned by GAINAX. Garland Durev owned by Tempest Dynasty. God bless my brothers at the 3/75. Rangers lead the way.

Sincerely,

SPC Monteforte

Saw Gunner

B Co 3/75