(I've decided to structure the ISA Marine Squad like a USMC Marine Corps Squad since its the closest in comparison I could think of.)

ISA Cruiser Orion-Orbit Above Helghan

Staff Sergeant Daniel "Dan" Jenkins hated Intruder Dropship. Why they even called it a dropship he didn't even know. To him and every other member of the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance 6th Marine Corps Division it was nothing more than a flatbed truck with rocket motors attached. It offered him and his men little to no protection and he swore that a kid with a BB gun could shoot the thing down. He missed the old days when they had tried and true dropships back on Vekta.

"Then again we're not going to be fighting on Vekta anymore." S/Sgt. Daniel muttered under his breath

"What's that, sir?" Corporal Joshua Smith, Staff Sergeant Daniel's third in command and leader of Fireteam Ice Pick, asked appearing next to his side.

"Nothing. Is the squad ready?" S/Sgt. Daniel replied trying to change the subject. Corporal Joshua was nothing but a pup. A FNG as they called it back in the 20th century. He didn't even see any action on Vekta. S/Sgt. Daniel found no benefit in scaring the kid about how he figured the Intruder was an unreliable piece of shit only minutes before they were scheduled to board the ugly things.

"Sir, yes, sir. All thirteen, including you and I, members of Creeper Squad are ready to rock and roll, Sarge. I had the men check all their weapons and gear twice. They're waiting by our assigned Intruder." Corporal Joshua said. Despite Corporal Joshua was the new guy in the squad and the only one not to see any action at all in Vekta, he was dedicated to doing his job right and showing the other guys that he belonged. Especially the Sarge.

"Good," S/Sgt. Daniel replied as he picked up his M82 Assault Rifle which was leaning against the Intruder he had been scrutinizing. He checked his watch and said, "Almost time to drop. Guess I'll give the men a little speech before we depart."

"Roger that, sir." Corporal Joshua barked. He snapped off a smart salute and ran across the hanger to get the men ready.

Good kid, S/Sgt. Daniel thought. Too bad there is a high probability of him getting shot to pieces.

Brushing the thought aside he strode across the crowded hanger until he found the Intruder that would be carrying him and his squad into battle. Corporal Joshua had the men in a row standing at attention. The thought, good kid crossed S/Sgt. Daniel's mind again.

"Sarge. I don't mean to rush ya' and whatnot but I didn't sign up for the Corps to stand around polishin' Bertha. I signed up to kick some Hig ass." Private First Class Jason White said. The squad's automatic rifleman, Bertha was the name Pfc. Jason gave his M224-A1 Light Machine Gun.

"Private First Class White you signed up for the Corps because you love and cherish everything that the ISA stands for and you are willing to put your life down for it. Now how about you cut the chatter so I can say a few choice words before we kick the Helghast out their own capital." S/Sgt. Daniel said smirking. Despite his hard as nails appearance S/Sgt. Daniel knew how to joke with the men.

"Well don't keep us waitin'. Make the speech so we can get down there already. I heard Pyrrhus City is wonderful this time of year." Sergeant Mitchel Lucas said trying his hardest to hide a smile. Sergeant Mitchel was S/Sgt. Daniel's second in command and leader of Fireteam Hitman.

"Okay, okay people." S/Sgt. Daniel said holding up his hands in mock surrender. The strap of his M82 chaffed his neck a little as it hung from its sling. "In," S/Sgt. Daniel stopped to check his watch. "Two minutes and thirty seconds time we will board the ever reliable Intruders and begin the invasion of Helghan code named Operation: Archangel. Now seeing that the ISA wants the best of the fuckin' best to kick off this invasion who do they order in first?"

"The Sixth Marine Division!" the squad barked in unison. The pride in their voice was impossible to miss.

"More specifically!" S/Sgt. Daniel demanded.

"Third Regiment, Fifth Battalion, King Company, First Platoon! Oo-rah! Oo-rah! Oo-rah!"

"That's right boys! Now we won't be the only ones out there but we will be the best ones! Why is that?"

"Because when you want something done right you send in the Marines!"

"Holy shit I think you Jarheads just might be catching on to something!" S/Sgt. Daniel yelled pacing back in forth in front of the men like a drill instructor. "Who does the ISA trust the most!" S/Sgt. Daniel boomed.

"Marine Corps!" the men boomed back.

"Who do the ladies love the most!"

"Marine Corps!"

"Who do the Helghast fear the most!"

"MARINE CORPS!" The last response filled S/Sgt. Daniel with so much pride he felt he was about to burst.

"Now that you're pumped get your asses on that Intruder and get ready to rip the Higs a new asshole!" S/Sgt. Daniel ordered.

"Sir, yes, sir!" the men boomed a final time and began tossing gear on the flat bed/troop carrier part of the Intruder. S/Sgt. Daniel hoisted himself up and over the rail.

"Hello boys this is Airman Brandon Smalls and I will be your pilot today. Now before we take off I advise you to buckle in and in case of an inflight emergency just jump off the craft. You Marines have so much hot air in your heads you'll float right up." the pilot of the Intruder said in a joking way as he strapped himself in.

Private Andy Marco, one of the squad's two grenadiers, blew a raspberry at the pilot. The men held onto the side rails as the Intruder jolted forward on a rail into its prepositioned spot and stopped.

"This is it! We all got first class tickets to Pyrrhus City and the Higs know it! They should give up already!" Private Cody Barnes, one of the squad's four riflemen, shouted over the noise of hundreds of other Intruders getting in position.

"First stop Pyrrhus City!" Private Aston Kelps, another rifleman, whooped.

"Time to pay those Hig bastards for what they did on Vekta!" Private First Class Lars Beckman, the squad's second automatic rifleman yelled beating a fist in his chestplate.

"We'll pay them back with interest!" Private First Class Anderson O'Brian, one of the squad's designated marksman added as he adjusted the scope on his M82MV.

As they waited Private First Class Howard Morgan, he squad's second designated marksman leaned over towards S/Sgt. Daniel and asked, "Where are we supposed to be landing, Sarge? Briefing only told us a beach so we better bring our swimming trucks."

"Yeah, Sarge. You're a step above us mud eaters. Where we landin'?" Private Jonah Fox piped in shouting because of the noise all around.

"I overheard a colonel say something about a Corinth River. That mean anything to any of you?" S/Sgt. Daniel replied. The entire squad shook their heads with the exception of Private Percy Turtledove, yet another rifleman in the squad, who nodded his head.

"A river that runs alongside Pyrrhus City! Come one guys didn't any of you guys pay attention during geography in school?" Private Percy said. The guy was a complete bookworm but when it came to fighting on the frontlines any man in his right mind would want him on his side.

"I never learned anything about Helghan before I joined the Corps!" the squad's final rifleman, Private Blake Washington yelled.

"I almost forgot." Private Percy said with a broad smile. "They didn't have schools where you came from huh."

"Fuck you man. When I Hig clubs you like a baby fucking seal Imma shake his hand after." Private Blake said jokingly.

The Intruder lurched forward again and arrived at its final launch position at the edge of the hanger.

"Here we go people!" S/Sgt. Daniel yelled. He was squeezing his M82 so hard his gloved hands started to hurt. There was an earsplitting roar as the combined fleet of over one hundred ISA cruisers fired off a salvo of missiles. As soon as all the missiles cleared the ships the cruisers began to bleed off Intruders like a stuck pig. With a hydraulic hiss a pair of robotic arms held the Intruder away from the hanger. They sat there for a few seconds before the arms suddenly let them go.

The first wave of troopers from Operation: Archangel were coming. And the Helghast were ready.