Platoon 17
The bulky power armor encased fingers fumbled helplessly at the glue sealed box wrapper as the heavily armored rhino rumbled mightily along towards its rendezvous point. They were the feared and respected 17th platoon of the FIRESHIELDS, the holy servants of his imperial majesty, and they had a job to do.
"Alright troops, sportsfans, toddlers, we're due to arrive at the rendezvous point in about 10 minutes, I want you looking and fighting your best. We're the newest branch of his majesty's army, and this looks like our chance to prove ourselves, so I want you all to give 110 percent. Is that Clear?" Sgt. Shovit was a man of action. He had fought in over 2 battles, and survived by "sticking to his guns and running the table edge" whatever that meant. Anyways, he was a prompt and prudent officer, and was a favorite among the men, mostly because of his tendency to forget his promises of enforcing punishment among slackers.
A mumble of understanding and promise issued up from the bored space marines.
"TWIZZLER! What in the sam hell are you doing?" Sgt. Shovit demanded with irritation. Twizzler had managed to shred an opening in his dots package, and had taken the opportunity to cram the entire 1.5 lb special box into his beastly mouth. "Numptynk sher" replied the gleeful space marine, as cardboard and sodium benzoate were crushed between his jaw. Sgt. Shovit gave his annoyed glance and gently cuffed the back of twizzler's head, giving him a concussion, the space marine was unphased.
Sgt. Shovit continued. "If any of you haven't noticed yet, we have a new friend among our ranks" He indicated to iceman, the newest recruit, who had graduated promisingly from the basic academy, but had failed the speaking test of his officer's test, he wasn't much of a speaker. Iceman raised his hand politely, and returned to doing nothing. "Yes, Iceman here is quite the student I'm told, so we as a team are going to take care of him, just like everyone else huh?" Sgt. Shovit said, slapping iceman on the back. Iceman did not even respond. Somewhat put off, Sgt. Shovit awkwardly continued: "yeah, so about 9 minutes, and lance, so keep on your guard and um...wrap up the card games" He said, pointing menacingly at Private Louis. As he stepped towards his console he remembered the rest of his briefing speech. "So, when we exit the vehicle" he said, using airfield signals and arms waves to indicate the exits, "We are going to begin with long range weapons, and then proceed to bolters and the like" Someone coughed. "And Lance, if I see you using that damnedable stick one more time.." "It's a power spear Sgt.!" Lance cried in protest. Shovit continued "..I'm gunna beat you so hard that you'll wish you was a red headed step child". "That is all, no more briefing" As he returned to his console, someone ripped one. Shovit ignored it.
"So let me get this straight" Mouse said in annoyance "We're fighting the Chaos space marines because they are engaged on this useless planet with Orcs? is that right corporal?" Corporal Miles turned towards him, his elephantine power armor nudging four or five other suits awkwardly as he did so. "Look, we're assaulting a battalion of chaos space marines who we think are here developing some destructive weapon. The orks are just serving as a distracting to their efforts, we believe." Mouse began again: "Can chaos even develop technology, I mean aren't they so raged all the-" "Cut the chatter Folks, We are in a WAR Zone." Eyepatch said with impatience. He was the oldest member of the team, and had seen more battles than all of the officers put together. He used an older version of the storm bolter, and had lost an eye 5 times, so he resolved just to wear an eyepatch rather than having it replaced by a medic.
The Space Marine platoon remained silent the rest of the journey. Someone coughed.
"Alright ladies, thirty seconds before arrival and drop off" shouted Private mathus. He was the tank driver, and enjoyed being the last person to exit the vehicle in situations like these. A mortar round exploded to the right of the tank "Ok you ---- -- ------ ," Sgt. Bismark yelled. "Keep off of your own flank, you should never be directly behind more than 4 marines, keep fire in front of you, I want cover on my back, not in my face. Keep into groups of 3, 1 is a waste of ammo, and an asking to get raped by Kannons. You five," He said, pointing with his entire arm at Private Sludge, Juice, Brownie, Pepe and Shorty, "Get on my ass and stay there, stitches, grab the pipe and meet us on the hill, I'll see you in the front." "5 seconds!" Mathus shouted. The troop hatch to the tank lowered and a scene of carnage and chaos was revealed to the space marines.
"For the Emperor!" shouted Shovit. "For the Imperium!" shouted Lt. Badges. "For the right to party!" shouted Twizzler. Someone coughed.
