Man's True Best Friend
Rated M (Language, Gore, Blood, ETC.)
By Casey Riffel (Bearmaster)
Chapter 6
Part 9 ~ Combat, Love it or Hate it
Time: 2523 February 3, 0555
Location: Pelican #2 crash site
"This is O six-five-nine-zero hailing command."
Derrick said as he held the single rocket launcher in his hand. The package was less than what anyone had thought. Link thought that the package was going to contain some sort of nuke or at least demo charges, but just one M19 SSM Rocket Launcher and one extra set of rockets were lying in the mostly empty cargo container. The only other supplies that were in the container were a few clips of Assault Rifle ammunition and ten Fragmentation Grenades.
"Command, we have received the package. But this was not what we planned to receive. This is a Torch and Burn Op and this is barely the sufficient ammunition to get this job done."
Link stood on the other side of the container as he held the extra set of rockets. The battle still raged on around them so a stray bullet would cause the group to fall to a knee. The mass of Marines and Agents continued to push foreword as Link, Derrick and Kenny stayed behind with their small Marine escort. Derrick put his hand to his side after handing the rocket launcher to a Marine standing to his left.
"Okay, patch me through."
Derrick shook his head in frustration and retracted his visor.
"They're patching me to General Watson, for some reason."
Derrick said as he kicked the dirt next to him. Link retracted his visor as well and kept the revolver ready on his lap, things were going to get even more complicated, he thought, so he might as well be ready. The armor was different from the revolver, black and lusterless, while the revolver seemed to glow in the light. The only part of the armor that resembled the revolver was the visor; the orange and white mixture of color seemed to rip through the darkness of the suits majority color.
"Hey, Green."
One of the Marines said to Link, pointing out his suits secondary color.
"What do you think is happening here?"
"You know as much as me right now buddy."
Link said back to the Marine as he adjusted his med-kit on his back.
"General, this is O six-five-nine-zero, all three packages have been received but it is not of sufficient-"
Derrick looked as if he had been cut off in his speech.
"Yes, I was aware that this was a Torch and Burn, just like every other Marine and Agent here, sir. What is really going on here sir?"
Link and Kenny looked at each other in how Derrick's tone changed from angry to annoyed.
"Search and Capture?"
Derrick said under his breath. Link tilted his head as he moved in closer to Derrick.
"It's a Search and Capture?"
Link said to Derrick as he was soon shot down as Derrick waved his finger at him, signaling Link to shut his mouth.
"Why did it change? Why weren't we notified? This mission has now become a class six; we were told that this was going to be a class two! We are totally unprepa-"
Derrick was cut off again from the voice on the other end of his earpiece. His face was straining as his annoyance grew to an almost uncontrollable level. With a jerk of his head, Derrick jolted to a standing pose, throwing his hand back up to his earpiece.
"Fuck you! Don't ever call us that! We are here to get a job done and I'll be damned if we don't get this job done!"
Derrick roared into his microphone again. This sudden rage surprised Link and it made him slightly off balanced on his knee. Link had to place his right hand on the ground to brace his midsection from falling over.
Derrick face grew more livid than anyone had ever seen before. His eyes seemed to glow a slight red as he clenched the other fist of his by his side. It was a new sight, something Link and really anyone had ever seen before. Link had seen that kind of rage only a few times before in his life, one of those occasions was in the news. A Spartan was being interviewed, sprayed with almost flaming comments about his brethren. Without warning, he sprung at the cameraman and shattered the camera into nothing more than pieces of plastic and metal. He didn't hurt the cameraman or reporter; he just killed their camera. But he had the same look in his eye that Derrick did. Watson had insulted the Olympians.
"I don't fucking care if you Court Marshall me."
Derrick said almost too calmly. Link was sideswiped by the threat given to his leader. Watson was defiantly pulling out the low cards on Derrick.
"I became an Agent to get shit done."
With an almost indirect way, Derrick glanced to Link. His emotion was back to his calm state. His eyes went instantly from the glowing rage to his normal self, and in that moment, Derrick sent Link a slight wink. The message within that gesture was more than just friendly. Derrick was his brother, almost like an older brother. Looking out for his younger siblings from a bully.
"And I intend to get my, our, people out of here in one piece with Jerome Hendrix in chains."
Derrick finished as he pulled his hand away from his earpiece. Seconds passed. The only noise made was the continuing battle, but it made Link scared. Derrick showed signs of what the Marines liked to call the One Thousand Yard Stare. Mindlessly staring into space.
"Hey, Derrick, you okay man?"
"He."
Derrick huffed as he took his canteen from his side and took a considerable swig from the contents. After a few monstrous chugs, wiped away the water that rolled down his chin with his wrist. His emotions stayed the same but he noticed Links bewildered face out of the corner of his eye. It made him chuckle a little as he put his canteen back on his side.
"There's been a change in plans. Johan, do you read me?"
The yellow-clad Agent said coolly. His visor slamming back into place, cutting off his emotionless face from the world once more. Link adjusted his headset so he could hear what Derrick was hearing. A loud crackling could be heard over the radio, sounds of bullets flying around caused the interference.
"What's up Yellow?"
"There have been some issues with command. I'm taking command of this operation."
A long silence came over the intercom, then a small chuckle.
"Got it."
"Hey Johan!"
Link said right after Johan's response.
"Hey Green. What's up?
"Uh-m, is Blue there?"
Derrick looked at Link and raised an eyebrow. Link did nothing but shrug and rub the back of his head.
"Yeah, she is doing good, I've kept an eye on her. She's pretty good with a turret."
Link smiled and in the background of the radio a small voice could be heard. It sounded no more than a squeak in the radio.
"Oh, she says Hi."
Link smiled wide as he shut his visor as well.
"Tell her that we'll meet up soon. All of us."
Link smiled to himself, it comforted him that she was okay as well. Derrick squeezed his fist shut, the under suit rubbing against itself. With a quick change of his radio, he was now on wide broadcast, every Marine and Agent in the next thirty kilometers.
"Everyone now is time for the final push! Although we don't have the packages we thought, we must prevail! We have come so close to victory and it is in our grasp! Lets bring down the capitol!"
Time: 2523 February 5, 1500
Location: New Jerusalem, Capitol City outskirts, Forest terrain
"Hey Derrick."
Link said as he worked his way over a fallen tree. The team of Marines and Agents, about one hundred souls total, worked their way trough the forest and to the main capitol. Kenny lagged behind the two who lead the group and spent more time telling false stories of his conquests to the Marines. The forest had overrun the city with its quick growing roots and navigating through was tough. Trees that looked over decades old towered over the moss covered concrete and the streets grew vibrate flowers and shrubberies of vivacious colors. It would have been beautiful if the circumstances were different. The team had to be on their toes at all times, watching for rebel encampments with their guns drawn. It was only a few more hours left before the M-A-C platforms exited Slip Space, so the teams would have to double time it.
"What?"
Derrick asked coldly.
"What did Watson say that made you so angry?"
Link said as his foot caught a root, temporarily throwing him off balance. Derrick didn't respond, his eyes focused on the next area of forest they needed to pass.
"Nothing."
Derrick said under his breath.
"PFFFF!"
Link let a huge burst of air out, filtering it though his teeth, showing Derrick he didn't believe in what he said. Derrick didn't even look back; he just kept his eyes foreword, desperately trying not to tell Link what Watson said. A silence fell over the two, awkward as can be.
"He called us abominations, didn't he?"
Link said. Derrick was caught off guard by Links precise guess and he darted his focus back to Link.
"WAA! No he didn't!"
Derrick tried to defend the General for some reason and not even he knew why.
"Your body language. It just SCReams abomination. And plus, I did some research about him before I went into the ODST's. He's very… Livid about the enhanced. It wouldn't be the first time he said that the Spartans or Agents were freaks, or fuck-ups."
Derrick went back to walking, he couldn't help but feel hurt over the words exchanged towards the Agents. Towards any enhanced soldier in that case. Derrick didn't notice, but his walk slowed to a halt. For some reason, he felt shame and just couldn't move his feet anymore.
"Its okay man."
Link got next to Derrick, his chin on his shoulder. Caught off guard again, Derrick jumped, but was soon met with the wide smile of Link, his visor obviously retracted.
"He's just a prick. I'm much happier to take orders from you than Watson or… Torrent."
Link shivered at the thought of Torrents rage and stepped back into formation with the rest of the group. Derrick felt good, but still unsure.
"So. Yellow, when are the M-A-C's comin down?"
Link asked as he reloaded the revolver with a premade 'clip'. Derrick sighed as he looked at his wrist module.
"We have… Four hours. Most of the civilians have been evacuated on the Definer, there are still some more waiting for pick up."
Derrick sighed again.
"We're going to be cutting it close."
Link chuckled.
"Yeah, but that gives us something to shoot for. We NEED to win this. For the civi's and the colony."
Link cracked his knuckles; the sound reverberated off the forest and echoed into the deep of the trees. Derrick started to feel his pride return, how could he feel shame in the first place, he thought.
"Yeah. Lets get this done."
Link nodded and they continued to walk with the team. Derrick was now scanning the area with his newfound sniper, scanning the area for dugouts.
"Sooooo, what is the mission anyway? Since its now a Search and Capture."
"We need to get an Innie Kingpin. Name, Jerome Hendrix. We already knew that, but we thought we needed to kill him, well, as things have turned out, we need to capture him. He has some data on some random research site that ONI wants. Nothing big, but its apparently important enough to let a shit tone of Marines and Agents die for it."
Link now sighed in the thought of the increasing difficulty that the mission started to build.
"Sounds like… Somewhat of a plan. Do we know what to expect?"
Link asked as he thought about what the Innies had planned.
"We don't know. But we need to get this done soon. Were close though, you can see the capitol building over there."
Derrick pointed to the gleaming tower in the distance, huge green vines wrapped themselves around the obelisk that stood at the center. The white metal popped through the green with the strong reflection of the sun. They were close.
"We need to do this right. We only have one shot. If we don't succeed, we, everyone on this planet is screwed."
END
A/N: Progressively shorter and shorter chapters. This one is kinda long but not really. :P busy, busy week for me. Buster, my dog, seems to be back to his old self. RELEIF! But this is getting close to the end of CHAPTER 6. It seems like it has been dragging on for a while, but ya know, shit happens. :3 Im thinkin that it will end in two chapters. So be ready for the quick conclusion of this epic adventure! ^u^ so anyway, have a great Memorial Day weekend and keep it real! I love ya my Bear cubs and remember, COMMENT AND SUBSCRIBE! Now, lets get wasted!
Casey (Bearmaster)