UNSC Cavalry, Chapter 2
2523 MAY 25, 0900 hrs.
Orbital Defense Platform
Diego Garcia Station
Earth Orbit
I looked at my boarding pass and sure enough the serial number ended in zero zero four two. Oddly enough, so did Dale, Naomi, and Tom and the other sixteen Cav Troopers. We all lined up at the gate, got checked through and all twenty of us went down the ramp and onto the tarmac, led by a UNSC Air Force Airman. We headed away from the terminal single file towards the ramp of a waiting Pelican.
The ride up from Earth was quite uneventful and took about 30 minutes. Ten minutes to a leisurely low orbit and another twenty to dock at station. I was sitting towards the cockpit of the Pelican and noticed that quite strangely, we weren't headed towards Geneva Station, the main orbital defense platform/terminal UNSC Navy and Air Force vessels pull in to when arriving at Earth. Looking out the port side viewport it appeared that were….yep….over Africa and heading east.
"Nigel?...NIGEL!" I kicked the bottom rail of Nigel's cargo seat on the port side of the Pelican. Nigel, great trooper, crack shot with the SRS-99D, and quite adept at making something out of nothing and having that something explode. The problem with Nigel Hawthorne is that if he sits still too long while not behind the scope of his sniper rifle, he would fall asleep. During basic flight we were in the middle of Pelican Transition, flying through a hurricane off of Cuba. Almost all ten of us in the back of the Pelican were puking our guts out, Nigel was sleeping the sleep of the dead. The guy could sleep anywhere, and often did.
"WHAT!" And Nigel didn't like being woken up for anything except chow and his turn on the firing line. "Jack, damn man, what the frak do you want?"
"Hey man, what platform we headed to?" Nigel knew more about the orbital defense platforms and where they were than any of us. In high school he was in the astronomy club, he mapped all of the ODPs for his senior year project. Sounds simple right? He mapped them all down to 20 square meters of their actual position in space even though he could only see the ones visible from Montana. Yeah, math whiz. Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, and a splash of Astro Physics. Why he wasn't navigating a cruiser in the Navy or the Air Force, I have no idea.
Nigel turned around in his seat, looked at our relative position, rolled back around and answered, "Looks like we are headed to Diego Garcia Station, UNSC HIGHCOM SPECWARCOM Rapid Rearmament and Deployment Station. By the looks of it we are ten minutes out."
Sure enough, nine minutes and thirty seconds later our Pelican was cycling through the airlock into the hangar bay. The Pelican settled down on the deck, the pilot powered down the engines and came aft, leaving post flight checklists to the co-pilot.
"ON YOUR FEET! I SAID ON YOUR FEET!", the pilot, a she-pilot, kicked Nigel's seat again, right where I kicked it, not ten minutes after I kicked it. Needless to say, Nigel wasn't happy. "I want you Army types off my Pelican in twenty seconds!', she hit the pressure release, the Pelican equalized with the docking bay and the ramp lowered (with that really cool sounding hydraulic-metallic whine that is in all badass futuristic movies) to the deck with a solid sounding thud. We all got unbuckled from the sling seats, stood and lined up to single filing out of the Pelican.
"Who is the senior soldier here?" It was Ms. Lt. Navy Pelican Pilot that apparently didn't like the idea of contaminating her Pelican with Army stench any longer than necessary.
Everyone looked around for a second and then all eyes ended up on me, even though there were three other Sergeants (E-5s, that is three chevrons up for those of you who don't know) on the bird.
"That would be me, Ma'am" I stepped out of line and approached Ms. Lt. Navy.
"Well take command of your troops Sergeant!, and get them off my pelican. Head to loading bay three."
"Loading bay three, yes Ma'am," I saluted, walked to the end of the ramp, looked left, looked right, spotted bay three, and about faced, "Troopers!, at the quick time, forward…march." Nineteen more Cav Troopers marched out of the back of the Pelican, heads high and backs straight. After all, we were in NAVSPECWAR land, ODSTs and Marines were everywhere, loading Pelicans with cargo crates and guiding wheeled and tracked vehicles into Albatross heavy lift transports. Everyone stopped to look at the UNSC Army types. "Look" was putting it kindly, glares of disgust and incredulity were a more apt description of the looks on their faces, sheep (at least they thought so) in the lion's den.
The door to loading bay three was open and a pallet of duffle bags were in the middle of the room, a podium with the UNSC Army logo at the far end next to a man sized door (which in coming days we would all learn, some quite painfully, that on anything that belonged to the Navy or Marines, it was called a "Hatch", the UEG flag in the middle, UNSC Army to the right, and UNSC Army Cavalry to the left (UNSC Defense Forces logo with crossed sabers underneath). As soon as the formation was fully inside the bay, the fifteen foot tall, two feet thick doors closed, there was no one else inside the bay with us. The hair on the back of my neck stood up…we were being watched.
We were alone in the bay. I walked to the front of the two rank formation. "Alright, since I was "nominated" as our "Leader" back in the Pelican, There are twenty of us in total. Four sergeants, sixteen lower enlisted. We are going to break down into four squads. Hawkins, Hawthorne, Campbell, and Dalton; you are with me. Sergeants Wilson, Thomas, and Lake, pick your squads. Wilson, you are second squad; Thomas, third; and Lake, fourth. Second and fourth squads, break down this pallet." At the back of the loading pay I spotted the latrine, of course, again, as we would all learn it wasn't a latrine in the Navy, it was a head. Why, again, I have no idea. "When your name is called, double time up here, grab your duffel and fall out to the latrine located behind the formation and change into your BDUs, get your Class A's stowed and back in formation. You have…" I glanced at my Suunto wrist chronometer, another badass thing to survive until the 24th century, the TSA, and Suunto watches, "ten minutes, move out!"
When I was issuing my orders, the other squad leaders had begun silently pulling their people to the side, forming up their squads. By the time I was finished, four squads had formed in ranks, second and fourth squad leaders each detailed two troopers to break down the pallet. The four troopers got the cargo net off; each grabbed a OD green duffel bag with last, first, and service number stenciled on it, and called out the name. The owner double timed up to the front, grabbed their duffel, and double timed it to the "head". Within the allotted ten minutes the formation was reformed, all troopers in BDUs, at attention, with all duffel bags to the left of the owner.
I inspected the "platoon" from my post at the front of the formation. We were all green, two years of hardcore training was evident in the way we looked, the way we carried ourselves. However; no amount of training is a good substitute for actual combat experience. The training helps, of course. Intel, even the watered down intel trainees have access to indicates that the insurgency against UEG and UNSC is gaining momentum, undoubtedly we would soon learn what it is like then the person holding the weapon pointed at you isn't a drill instructor, or if those red strobing blips in a Hornet's HUD flying at you aren't simulated.
Five minutes of waiting in formation I gave "At ease" to the platoon, everyone relaxed from the position of attention, yet stayed in formation. I walked up to the podium to have a look, maybe some indication of what we were supposed to do next. Standard, run of the mill podium, nothing special, except the single sheet of paper, UNSC Army letterhead. Right when I started to reach for the paper the door behind the podium slid open.
"At ease, Sergeant," I spun around, assessed the person who came through the door and approached the podiium; UNSC Army, Lieutenant Colonel Thorton, crossed sabers on the left side of his Class A jacket, I snapped to attention, "Sir."
"Sergeant, fall your formation in, in front of the podium, we need to get you troopers on your way."
"Yes, Sir." At attention I about faced, "Platoon, Uhhteeen-shun!" In unison, the heels of nineteen pairs of UNSC Army issue combat boots snapped together, "On my order, at double time, fall out and fall in in front of the podium. FALL OUT!" The platoon did as ordered and in less than thirty seconds they were back at attention, in front of the podium, dressed and covered.
"Troopers," Colonel Thorton began, "First, allow me to congratulate each of you on the successful completion of the most rigorous training the UNSC Army gives regular forces. You men and women are the first in what is the reconstitution of the Cavalry. Light, mobile, you have the training, and we will give you the tools to strike devastating blows to the enemy at a time and place of your choosing. You will become the premier rapid reaction force of the UNSC Army, self-contained and self-reliant; you will act as a force multiplier at the battalion and brigade level. Those commanders will use you to go where regular forces cannot, you will hit hard, you will hit fast…and then you will call the infantry to come clean up the mess you just made of the enemy!"
"SCOUTS OUT, SIR!" I swear, when the twenty of us sounded off, it sounded like a 120 man Marine infantry company.
"The Situation. As you all know, the Insurrection in the Outer Colonies is gaining momentum. They are winning the hearts and minds of some colonies, others that are not so keen to break away from UEG, those colonies are being terrorized. The planetary governors and their municipalities are begging UNSC for assistance. On some colonies, their Colonial Militias have been infiltrated, on some colonies, their UNSC Army garrisons are not equipped, nor do they have the training or personnel to deal with the insurgency. Some colonies do not even have an UNSC garrison.
The Office of Naval Intelligence believes that there is a significant Insurgent presence in the Tau Theta System, on the edge of UEG/UNSC controlled space. This area has, until now, garnered very little attention from HIGHCOM or ONI, additionally; this system is sparsely populated and as such has required little in the way of Army support. Most of what is out there is militia recruited from the general population. You, the men and women of the new Light Cavalry will be the UNSC's spearhead into the region.
The following mission statement comes directly from the UNSC CIC, developed in conjunction with the Secretary General of the United Nations, the UNSC Security Committee and Council, and the Secretary of the Colonial Administration Authority, and I quote:
"The mission of the UNSC Army Cavalry unit deployed to the Tau Theta System will be to use any and all tactics, techniques, procedures, and methods UNSC High Command and the designated unit commander deems necessary to stop insurrectionist activities and reinforce the legitimate local government administered by the planetary Governor, his designee, or any other authority duly appointed by the Colonia Administration Authority and the UNSC.
Given the nature of the threat, the potential ramifications to the UEG and the UNSC should insurrectionist efforts prevail, the Tau Theta System has been declared as under Martial Law in accordance with UNSC Security Committee Resolution 38729A34TT42 dated 2523 JANUARY 23.
UNSC Security Committee Directive 31 is in effect as of 2523 MAY 01.""
When the Colonel was finished talking you could hear a mouse fart in the room (or a pin drop if you prefer). Some of the Cav troopers were thinking it was a mistake, that a brand new unseasoned unit couldn't possibly be given a mission like this, this was the type of mission given exclusively to Army or Navy SPECWAR, Army Rangers, Marine ODST ; others, that they couldn't wait to get to the Outer Colonies, meet insurrectionists, and kill them; and a few, like me, were filled with a sense of foreboding.
My father was an attorney, specializing in Charter Law (the charter of the UEG, similar to 20th century Constitutional Attorneys). The day I came home after enlisting and told him that I had been identified for "special training" he told me about UNSC Security Committee Directive 31. Basically, immunity from prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Civilian Criminal law for any acts committed in the execution of my orders. He told me that if I was ever on a mission that fell under this directive to run. Desert the UNSC because more than likely what they were going to order me to do would be considered illegal and probably immoral under any other circumstance. In the absence of a superior officer or non-commissioned officer, I, as a member of the UNSC Army would have the authority to levy the full authority of the UCMJ as I saw fit, or to exceed that mandate should the circumstances require. Judge, jury, and executioner.
"Troopers… you need to get equipped for your mission. HIGHCOM has taken a special interest in the new Cavalry; this station has a Class VII armory, equipment normally reserved for NAVSPECWAR and NAVCOM. For the next three days, that armory is open to you. Equip yourselves as you see fit. The Navy has detailed a frigate to take you from here, to Reach. Once at Reach you will be issued air and ground mobility assets. The depots at Reach will issue you whatever you think you need to complete your mission. The UNSC Air Force is detailing to you the first in a new class of vessels, the UNSC AF Light Assault Carrier Questionable Morality. She will be there to support you for the duration of your mission.
For now, Sergeant Storm will be in command. Your commanding officer, Captain Sanborn, will join you at Reach. The armory is on Deck 24, Section 38. Sergeant Storm, liaise with the station billeting office to secure billeting for your platoon. That is all. Good Luck, Scouts. Sergeant Storm, report to my HQ on Deck 10 Section 1 at 2000 hours." Colonel Thorton left, just as abruptly as he entered.
I about faced. "At ease." The platoon relaxed from attention. "Alright, you heard the Colonel. We are heading to the Outer Colonies to take care of the "Innie" problem there for the UNSC. Second squad, Sergeant Wilson, go find the billeting office. Billet us by squad, see if they have something that can accommodate the NCOs in one room. We have planning to do. When you get the billeting assignments, get the duffels up there. Third squad, post guard on this bay until our gear is secure. Fourth, go find the chow hall, eat, come back and relieve third. First, you are with me. Let's go find the armory.
Constructive Criticism would be much appreciated as would be reviews.
Stay tuned for Chapter 3. Class VII Armory, aka "Kids in a candy store."
