And so it begins...
The newly reformed Sigma squad sets out on their mission to eradicate Locusts and rebel Stranded, but their mission takes a drastic detour.
Chapter 4: We Are Sigma…Again
Cole threw his gear into the Raven before he grabbed the egde of the hull to climb up into the King Raven cabin while the pilot and copilot could be heard doing their routine, radio tests. He quickly realized that the cabin was a bit warmer than the outside, letting out a shudder from the two air masses intertwining inside the cramped space. Two other Gears were already sitting inside while they anxiously waited for the rest of their squad mates to come on board. Cole found a place to sit, opposite of the other two Gears in the cabin. One of them finally welcomed him,
"Welcome back to Sigma…you must be Private Augustus Cole."
"Yes sir, in the flesh," Cole responded with enthusiasm.
"I hear you were part of the Lightmass Offensive, with Delta squad…"
"Yea, that's right, baby…we blew those bitches sky high, hehe."
The other Gear started to beam with zeal.
"Holy shit, it's really you…the Cole Train," he blurted out.
"Yea, that's right!"
The first Gear turned to the other,
"Ok,give him a break. I'm sure he hears that all the time,"
"Nah…it's all good…everyone wants to see TheTrain, baby," Cole grinned.
The first Gear began to introduce himself,
"My name is Lieutenant Milane…and this is Private Sven Dunrich,"
"…yea, but everyone calls me Vin, or Vinny…it's just easier," said Sven, trying to break the ice.
"You got it, Vinny," said Cole while Milane continued,
"I understand that we have a technician with us?"
"Yea, Corporal Baird…he's loading up some equipment. He'll be here, sir."
"Great…we are also waiting for our Feral guide. Her name is Raven McNight, but everyone just calls her Feral. She should be with us shortly."
"Sweet, can't wait," Cole gestured, turning his head outside the chopper to see Baird making his way to the entrance. Trudging through the slushy snow, Baird jogged lightly over to the Raven, carrying additional baggage.
"Hurry up Damon…time to get this show on the road," Cole yelled out.
"Yea, yea, working on it," Baird yelled back over the noise of the engine as he tossed a medical box and his equipment bag into the cabin. He jumped in and picked up the med box to strap it down near the bottom of the hull before proceeding to take a seat next to Cole.
"Sorry I'm late, but somebody insisted that we take some additional medical supplies, and nobody else, but me, was apparently informed about it." Baird griped, trying to get comfortable before Cole tapped him on the shoulder,
"Oh…hey, this is Lieutenant Milane and Private Vinny Dunrich. They're on our team."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Corporal," said Milane with nuance as Baird tried to extend something that resembled courtesy,
"Likewise," Baird gestured in return.
Lieutenant. Milane was rather cordial than most officers Baird had dealt with over the years, not to mention younger. Despite his youthful appearance, for an officer, he was not near as young as the rookie Sven.
Sven still had a "baby face," composure with his short, light brown hair slicked up into a short faux-hawk, which made him look even more juvenile. Milane, on the other hand, appeared to be more professional with his dark hair textbook shaved closely to his head, but dark enough to still visibly notice his hairline.
Milane turned his head to peer out of the cabin.
"Here she comes…"
Cole leaned out, peering over Baird to watch someone approaching the Raven whom appeared to be wearing oddly constructed attire.
"What the…is that a Feral?" Cole murmered while the other three turned to face the same direction.
"Yep, that's our Feral," Milane answered Cole's question.
Feral walked up to the chopper, meandering through the choppy, iced ground as she dismounted her equipment backpack to throw it in the cabin. Standing on the tips of her boots, she pushed her equipment bag into the cabin as far as her arms would allow her.
The three just sat and watched in curiosity as the petite woman jumped up into the cabin, using the frame of the threshold to climb in. With her feet slipping slightly from the snow that was caked on the bottom of her boots, she attempted to catch her footing when Lieutenant Milane extended his hand to catch her arm. In return, she quickly whirled around, retreating her arm back from him as if she was tenaciously avoiding contact. Milane shrunk back in response to her reaction as she proceeded to place her equipment bag next to everyone else's without prose. Feral then scanned the cabin, looking for a place to sit, but most of the area taken. Milane backed up to give her room, feeling the atmosphere around her to be antagonistic, but nevertheless motioned her to have a seat anyway. She looked around with her wide, icy blue glare and then took up on Milane's offer to sit down in his spot.
"Thank…you," she hesitantly said, realizing she may have made everyone uncomfortable with her demeanor, trying to be as polite as she understood to be. Feral was not used to being around men, much less Gears, and she didn't like flying, period. The others could tell that she was twitchy.
"Your, welcome," Milane said, attempting to make her more comfortable, although it probably didn't help. He makes an attempt to introduce her to the others to ease the awkward atmosphere that was cramping in the cabin.
"Just so you know, this is Private Cole, Corporal Baird…" Milane pointed as the two acknowledged his introduction," …and sitting next to you is Private Vinny Dunrich. We're all part of Sigma squad."
"Of…course," she said timidly as she glanced at the three individually and nodded before slumping into her seat, trying to be discreet. She did not like being the center of attention.
As the five settled in, the gunners took their positions while the engine on the bird began to roar loudly.
"This is it," Milane yelled out over the noise, while Sven sat up against the cabin, trying not to encroach on Feral's personal space.
Baird turned to Cole,
"Did you take that pill I gave you?" he yelled over the blaring engine.
"Yea…what you say it was suppose to do?"
"It's suppose to help your nausea, so I won't have to wipe your chuke off of my armor again."
"Oh, yea!"
Milane grabbed onto the handle as the rotors start to spin faster and louder. Feral became tense, closing her eyes and grabbing the edge of her seat. Her pale face began to flush in the cold air, accented by her feathery short, black hair as she curled her lip in anxiety. Cole could tell she was nervous, which only made her look even "endearing."
Cole nudged Baird with his arm as he quietly chuckled,
"Heehee…she's pretty, isn't she."
Baird rolled his eyes to subtly respond over the ascending clamor of the Raven turboshaft engine.
"We're not going there, Gus."
Cole started to laugh out loud over the noise of spinning rotors.
"Oh, and by the way, I'm supposed to remind you not to fuck this up!"
"Son of a bitch, am I going to have to listen to this crap during the entire mission?" Baird blurted out as Cole snickered,
"You bet your white ass!"
"Fuck," Baird growled, his voice now quashed from under the deafening engine.
In the cabin they could hear the pilot on the radio,
"Welcome ladies to KR Four-Three, and we will be taking off very shortly, if you have not already noticed but just so you know, my name is Captian. Nigal Jonas and I will be your pilot today, along with my co-pilot, Lieutenant. Samus Frank. Our gunners are Private Devon Fargus and Corporal Merl Jammacia, but we all just call him "Jimmie,"
Jimmie waved his hand as the Gears acknowledged back.
"…and just so you know, if you have not read the passenger manual for this flight, I am required to inform you that this is a non-smoking craft and that if you are caught smoking, it better be because your ass is on fire, which brings me to also inform you if in the event, the cabin, or your ass, is on fire, the extinguisher is located to the back of the cabin, next to the red label that says "in case of an emergency." Thank you for your audience and enjoy the flight."
"Yea, right," Baird grumbled. Feeling the bird suddenly jolt, he peered out of the cabin and noticed that they were slowly beginning to lift from the ground.
"Let's do this, Captain," Fargus yelled at the cockpit while Jimmie gave the cockpit crew a thumbs up. The bird elevated farther from the ground to fall in formation behind three other birds ahead of them. In ascension, four other Ravens also began to lift off and follow after them. The crew in the cabin could see the ground turn, feeling the cold air rush around them as the aircraft picked up speed, forming into position along with the other airborne King Ravens.
Cole closed his eyes, trying not to look down as the G-forces took its' toll on his stomach.
"Ah, man…I hope this shit you gave me works."
"Getting airsick soldier?" Milane noticed, watching Cole place his head in between his legs. Baird started to rub his hand on Cole's back,
"Motion sickness, sir. I gave him something before we arrived to take the edge off…that, and I'm tired of cleaning up his barf," Baird explained while Milane chuckled in response before looking over to Sven and Raven.
Sven peered out of the cabin in awe, savoring the moment of being in the sky since he seldom got to fly in a chopper. Raven, on the other hand continued to cling to the edge of her seat, taking deep breaths while her brow sat heavily over her deep, set eyes. She was not enjoying herself at all.
"Feral, here, doesn't like to fly, either," Milane informed the others as he grinned, while Raven conveniently ignored him. Baird redirected his gaze from the white landscape to the little woman sitting across from him, clinging relentlessly to her seat. He soon noticed her loosely familiar attire that complimented her minuscule figure. She had oddly shaped shoulder and back armor, made of some dark hardy leather-like material, while a piece of cloth similar to that of a Kantus robe, hung below her waist like a loincloth, dangling freely between her legs.
Baird couldn't help to wonder how the Farel managed to get these dressings, much less custom them for their own personal use, but then again, he could recall the transcripts would customize their Gear armor to suit their needs. Perhaps the Feral did the same, cause there's no way she would be able to fit in a Gear's armor.
He quickly observed her side arms, both strapped to her thighs. She had a Boltok pistol in her left holster, with a Gorgon pistol on her right, both strapped on leg harnesses that were also buckled to her ammo belt. Although the rest of her leggings were made from some unfamiliar animal hide, her boots, however, were definitely Gear material, and were black instead of brown.
Cole carefully picked up his head as he slowly opened his eyes, taking a deep breath and then slowly exhaling.
"You alright, man?" Baird asked.
"I think so…I don't feel too shitty," Cole answered back.
Shortly after Cole's comment, the group felt a sudden bump as the five jerk inside the cabin.
"Oh shit…I take that back!" Cole choked over the bump.
The craft shook violently before it suddenly, jolted again.
"Ok, now what the fuck was that?" Baird blurted out, while Cole grabbed his seat, holding on fast. Blast sounds become audible around the cabin as Sven looked out to find other birds taking evasive action.
"Ah crap…I hear gunfire," Sven yelled as Feral clenched in her seat next to him.
Milane peered over his shoulder to watch the gunners ready their chain guns, and then looked over to the cockpit. The radio began to sound off,
"Hang on ladies…we got turbulence."
"Aw, shit…turbulence my ass, we're being shot at," Cole groaned, feeling the Raven tilt to the right, forcing the crew to lean as the bird bumped a few more times, more violently than the one earlier. Cole's dark face started to turn green before placing his hand over his mouth. Baird glared at him in horror, trying to hang on while shifting his body away from Cole.
"Cole…don't you do it, man…or I swear," Baird sneered, leaning away from Cole to avoid the possibility of Cole's "vomit comet."
Captain Jonas turned over his shoulder to face the gunners from the cockpit.
"Jimmie, Fargus, fire at those bitches!"
The gunners fired their chain guns while Milane peered out of the cabin to catch a Reaver passing by.
"We got Reavers…shit," Milane barked before getting up to make his way to the middle of the cabin, hanging on to the handle as the bird started to shift to the left. They caught glimpses of the flying, mounted Reavers, taking gunfire as the gunners shoot a few down.
Looking out, they could see the fire blasts coming from ground infantry as the other King Ravens attempted to dodge them. Suddenly, they see one of the birds get pummeled on the top of its hull, causing smoke to seep from the rotor. The Raven slowly started to drop as the blades fell apart before gravity finally clutched it to pull it down fast and hard, crashing onto the ground.
"Oh shit, oh shit," Sven panicked while the others glared out in shock. All of a sudden, they received another strong jolt, but this time the warning light started to flash in the cabin.
"Ohhh, that doesn't look good," Milane grumbled. The bird shimmied slightly, forcing the Gears to lean, listening to the pilot cussing over the radio while he managed to straighten the bird out for a brief moment before another jolt knocked it back onto it's side.
"Fuck…our fuel pressure is wavering guys…your going to have to get yourselves together because I'm dropping you, now!"
"Wait…we're not at the drop zone yet," Milane protested while facing the cockpit.
"We're not going to make it to the drop zone Lieutenant. Get your men ready!"
"Fuck…alright…men, grab your gear," Milane ordered.
The men attempt to collect their gear, all the while the aircraft began to tremor. They could feel the bird starting to drop as the warning light flashed brightly.
Cole grabbed onto the cabin wall, trying to brace himself as the bird dropped in short bursts, bumping closer to the ground. Baird propped his foot against the hull and pulled out his Lancer. Milane prostrated himself on the other wall as he too, pulled out his Lancer, carefully looking down, watching their Raven flying closer to the tops of the trees directly below.
"Ok folks, this is it. When I tell you to jump, you jump! Don't hesitate, don't think…just do it! I am going to drop this thing as low as I can but it will not stay stable for long…good luck Gears," the pilot announced, trying to keep the Raven steady.
The bird hit the tops of couple of trees on the way down, trying to dodge ground fire at the same time. The forest finally cleared into what used to be a small town surrounded by boulders and meadows, covered in snow.
As the Raven slowed down, close to a hover over fifteen feet from the ground, the pilot tried to keep the rotor moving but the craft engine was choking on and off before it went idle.
"Go, go, go! Move out!"
"Shit, that's a long fucking drop," Sven complained, bracing himself with one hand against the hull while clinging to his Longshot rifle partially strapped to his back.
"Get out, soldier," Milane barked, grabbing Sven by his collar and pulling him towards the exit.
Baird leaned over to the exit to grab the side of the door and leapt out. Cole meandered his way to the exit and then makes the mistake of looking down.
"Aw…shit," he bellowed, watching Baird make landfall as he rolled in the snow. Taking a swift deep breath, Cole jumped out, feeling the crisp air sting his bare arms before hitting the ground, letting gravity pull him forward into a roll along the slushy snow.
The Raven continued to move forward while Feral was the next to have leapt out of the craft, dropping down into a snow covered, grassy meadow nearby.
"Shit, I'm not going to…" Sven panicked before Milane cutted in,
"You're jumping! Now get your ass out of here!"
Without further delay, Milane pushed Sven out of the door, watching him plummet into the hay bales below. The Raven started to teeter as the pilot yelled out from the cabin, in between sudden spurts of impact,
"Get out Lieutenant, we're going down!"
He could feel the Raven engine idle as the bird began to shift to its side, falling fast. Milane finally leapt out, blinded by the stirring snow from the churning blades above. Blinded by a bright white light, Milane slipped out of consciousness as he plummeted to the ground below, losing his grip of reality.