Two chapters in one day? I'm spoiling you guys. Also to everyone who has been reviewing since the chapter when I went on a bit of a rant, I love you all and hope you continue to enjoy the story. At the moment I'm nothing if not inspired since I finished my second ME-LE playthrough.
Also helps if I upload the correct chapter... Again
Sergeant Zaeed Massini, First Regiment of Foot, Atlantean Infantry Corps
Zaeed was having, all things considered, a pretty shit day. First things first, he had decided to take a holiday to California, waaaaay back on old earth. Then that got canceled with orders that his platoon would be undergoing desert combat training on Erusea. Then, just as he was about to seal the deal with a lady he met at a nightclub after finishing said training, the entire god's damned planet had been put into lockdown, with immediate orders for mobilization. Then the actual aliens had arrived, and they had vapourised his favorite pub with an artillery shell. And now he was stuck babysitting some rookies put under his command.
Then as the icing on the cake, an alien shuttle had floated nearby and had seen it fit to deposit a few soldiers and a tank in the village. So now he was moving house to house with a combat knife, giving every alien he found a piece of his mind and a carbon composite blade in their neck. As they moved into the final house, they looked down at the shuttle, where the pilot was looking over a strange glowing orange frame around his arm, a pair of soldiers were chatting, while a third was loading a crate onto the ground. The APC was in the background, as the distant thrum of gunfire was steadily increasing in volume.
Wordlessly. Zaeed motioned for 2 of the rookies to target the APC. And they both pulled rocket launchers from their back. Both were RPG-14s. Russian-designed and cheaply manufactured, they lacked guidance systems and were dumb-fire. However, the rocket was powerful. A tandem charge warhead fitted with an electromagnetic pulse. The 2 stage detonation could penetrate almost 900 millimeters of hardened armor, and the rocket could at the very least cripple a tank. So far, they had found that the tanks used by the aliens had some sort of shield that could stop a rocket. Generally, 2 where needed. The first taking out the shields, the second would be better off at a flat angle.
The rookie carefully lined up the first shot. And just as Zaeed counted down on his fingers, the timed shots from the soldiers knocked down the pilot and soldiers. The first rocket, as expected, detonated early. With a massive explosion. The second, however, penetrated through the armor, sending a pillar of flame out of the side of the vehicle, and they whooped in celebration. Zaeed moved forward through the window to inspect the shuttle. One of the rookies with an RPG looked over the controls, somewhat similar to the holographic tools the Turians had around their arms. "Looks pretty similar to a helicopter, and I think the thing is powered up.
He sighed, the right thing to do would be to return this to an Alliance bunker so they could gut it for parts. But looking up an idea began to form, and an evil smile split his lips. "Say. How would you boys like to try and do something stupid?".
Needless to say, 10 minutes later, the shuttle blasted away. With Zaeed struggling to get one of the scavenged helmets to stay still properly. The Turians had about the same sized helmets as humans, but their helmets had long swept-back horns (likely for their head-spikes). The helmets reminded him of that old Ratchet and Clank videogame. "You know when I signed up to the Erusean marines. Piloting an alien spaceship up to another alien spaceship to annoy them was not what I had in mind.
Zaeed laughed, as the young private by the name of Morgan jostled with the controls. "Well, you're doing it either way". As they left the atmosphere, they began to fly towards one of the cruisers. A rather rugged and bird-like design with two swept wings. "Damn, reminds me of an old-world helicopter gunship".
"More like a shark with those wings", Zaeed replied, as Derek, another private, picked up a rifle.
"So what's the plan Corporal?".
"The same as what my plans for last night were. Get in, hit it hard, get off, and get away", he sniggered. The private obviously not getting the joke. "I really don't like this, what if they don't buy it and shoot us down?".
"I doubt they're even paying much attention, and if they do ask for identification, we pretend comms are down".
As they neared, the comms lit up, and a gruff voice started speaking through the control panel. Thank the gods the fleet in orbit had beamed down information on translating the language roughly. "Shuttle five, you aren't on the arrival manifest, verify".
Zaeed nodded to Morgan, who waggled the shuttle a little, making like they were damaged. Before he transmitted a garbled mess of data that would just make noise. "Shuttle five please repeat, we did not catch that".
They repeated the motion, with the tension palpably thick as they waited. "Shuttle five, your antennae's might well be damaged, proceed to bay 2. we'll send an engineering squad to meet you".
They whooped, and on the 3d display of the ship, one of the hangar bays started flashing, indicating a docking request. "Take us in Morgan. Nice and slow",
"Right... right... Nice and slow. Not like I can see the dozens of lasers pointed at us directly as we fly towards them looking like tissue paper".
"Then keep your distance. But don't look like you're trying to keep your distance".
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?".
"I don't know... Fly casual?".
"I'd just like to say, I hate any plan that involves me in handcuffs unless that plan consists of me and a beautiful lady alone at night". That one had Zaeed doubled over in hysterics as Matt shook the glowing holographic handcuffs that would electrocute him if he so much as moved too much.
The hangar doors slid open, and as they passed through a blue containment field of some sort, they set down gently on the compact and small hangar deck. With a few fighters suspended from the ceiling, and a small team of engineers with those watches they liked so much. Crates and boxes were scattered around, and an unloaded, unpowered shuttle was fairly nearby. As the door slid open, the engineers casually approached. Zaeed put on his best gruff voice, pretending to be an authoritative figure. "Comms are behaving strangely. We're delivering our report and our prisoner to interrogation".
The engineers nodded and got to work without question, as Zaeed pressed his rifle into Matt's back, "Alright... Alright." Of course, he didn't have a translator, no need to trick them into thinking they could understand their language.
As they exited the cargo hold, it suddenly struck Zaeed that he didn't actually know where the prison or POW cells were on a ship like this. He looked around, finding several signs that might be reminiscent of a prison, and noticing several armed marines on either side of a reinforced door.
"Stop right there Private!". One of the marines said. "What's this?".
"Captured human soldier". He made to pass them, but they stopped him.
"Where are you taking him?".
He paused dead, wondering if they had him figured out. "I uhh I am taking him... To imprison him... in... prison?".
Morgan couldn't hold back a snort, "Real smooth Zaeed, next time maybe-". Zaeed slapped him over his face, hard. "Quiet! And there's a fresh one if you mouth off again".
"I'll take it from here Private". Screw it.
He nodded to Morgan, who slammed his rifle forwards as hard as he could into the uncovered head of the Turian, as Zaeed did the same, knocking both of them out cold. Derek broke the handcuffs, before tugging the door open manually, and they dragged the Turians in, tossing them onto a table. Noticing that the cells had several figures in them. "Whaa. Who the hell are you?".
Zaeed didn't recognize them. Most of them were in very tight skin-hugging suits, with opaque visors. "You chaps need a hand?". Derek closed the doors behind them, locking it carefully, by shooting the control panel twice. Zaeed suddenly noticed the three-fingered hands and bowed legs. "Wait you guys aren't human?".
They looked at each other. "What the hell is a human, you aren't Turian?".
Zaeed removed his helmet, and they all gasped in shock. "But...". Zaeed struggled to wrap his head around it, as a bullet narrowly flew past his head. "Contact!". At the end of the brig, another pair of marines started firing, and Zaeed poked his SA89 Rifle out, firing a few shots to keep them suppressed, before reaching for the strange disc things that substituted for grenades. He tossed one out, drawing them out cover, as they and Derek shot both. "Shit... Derek, Morgan, you free the prisoners, I'll hold it here". He grabbed one of the consoles, using the visual aids to lock the doors before a beeping sign appeared.
He pressed the yellow option, before a gruff voice interrupted, asking for a sitrep. "Uhh.. Everything's under control! Situation normal!".
"What happened?".
"Had a slight weapons malfunction and one of the prisoners nearly got out, but everything's perfectly alright now thank you. We're fine, we're all fine here now... How are you?".
"Wha- Who is this? Give me your name soldier". He scrambled to think of a name, before raising his weapon and shooting the console several times.
"Boring conversation anyway. GUYS WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE COMPANY". They both nodded, freeing another of the aliens and tossing them a rifle each from the downed marines. "You fella's know where we are?".
One of them nodded. "I used to serve on a decommissioned Turian cruiser, Hangar bay is just down there". Zaeed nodded, "Yeah we knew that. Do you know where engineering, weapons or the bridge is?".
Arcturus Station, President Laura Roslin, Systems Alliance Fleet Command Center
Laura was remarkably calm when she entered the fleet command center. Her hair neatly in curls and dressed in a very neat outfit that looked almost normal as she was surrounded by military personnel that rushed around. "Any updates Admiral?".
"Shanxi just sent a probe through. They aren't reporting any new contacts. So we can safely rule them out. Also Field Marshall Dempsey is here".
The doors suddenly swung open. A fairly buff and extremely neatly dressed gentlemen in a deep blue uniform practically covered in medals. "Gentlemen! Madam President".
He made his way down the stairs, two DRGN soldiers flanking him. "Right! Someone fancy tellin' me why my holiday got canceled and why my divisions on the colonies are moving to high alert without my permission?". With a scar that cut across his eye and a level of arrogance that irked Hackett in just about every way, the chief of the entire Alliance Army strolled over, nodding at the admiral out of respect. "Ahh, Field Marshall Dempsey. What have you been told?".
"Absolutely naught so far. Just that there's a possibility one of our colonies have gone dark". The President nodded, folding her arms. "Indeed. And now-".
"You need the might of the United Alliance armed forces to solve another problem". Exasperated, the President rolled her eyes. If there was one person in the Alliance who you needed on your side, it was Field Marshall George Dempsey.
Born in Yorkshire, the man had initially joined the Atlantean military but soon was hired by the Triumvirate to head up the Interstellar peacekeeping force that sorted out problems. And sort out problems he did. He had fought in numerous campaigns, mainly against terrorist cells and uprisings. and had won medal after medal after medal. To quote Admiral Adama. "The man has so much iron on him we could stick him in a railgun".
He was also a beloved hero of the people, the Alliance poster child. During the early years of the Alliance, he had put down several terrorist uprisings and even assisted in the Atlantean Coup that saw their entry into the Alliance. He had been the man personally responsible for planting the flag on the headquarters for the largest pirate base in Alliance territory, and the man was immovable. He could quite literally make or break the election for the presidency, and it was an unspoken truth that in the runup to the election for the Alliance parliament, Dempseys support would quite often make or break a party. As had happened to Terra Firma in the last election.
It also meant the man was insufferable because he full well knew that any attempt at replacing him would be fraught with instability. The armed forces loved him. The navy loved him. The people loved him. The corporations... well they despised the man, but publicly they loved him. "When shall I load up the tanks?".
Laura looked to Hackett, who turned. "ASAP. We have transports on standby. Where are the majority of the forces presently?"
"All over the fookin place. What about those fancy Arsenal Birds. It'd be nice to have the Air Forces toys, for once". Hackett nodded, "Arsenal Bird Terror and Erebus are already attached to the HG Wells. You'll have them for support".
"Well then! I'm off to do the Navy's job for them. Try not to lose the war while I'm gone".
Codex Entry: Small arms of the Alliance
Rifles and Mainstay Weapons
Bullpup Rifles - The superior weapon in terms of accuracy and stopping power. Bullpup rifles are primarily in use amongst the more advanced armed forces. This is primarily the European, Atlantean and African armed forces who deploy such weapons. (SA series, HK, Mauser)
Assault Rifles - Semi or Fully Automatic weapons commonly deployed by American (North and Latin) troops. Arabian soldiers also deploy such weapons as well as Japan (M1 Series, Type 9 Rifle)
'Renegade Rifles' - Nicknamed because of their designed, these are primarily referring to the rifles based on the design of the legendary AK-47. With it's practically god-like versatility and resilience, these are the only rifles in support with practically the entire alliance.
Marksmen Rifles - Rarer amongst soldiers, these are issued less sparingly, and while often taking the same rounds as their less accurate cousins, Marksmen are issued with the first 1200 rounds to come out of molding, meaning no need to adjust for weapon inaccuracies. (Baretta, L-Series and Dragunov)
Support Weaponry
Sniper Rifles - Occasionally issued, Snipers come in many forms. With modern snipers utilizing almost fully electrical acceleration, and having bolt action heavy rounds that can penetrate through walls and even some lighter vehicles. (Various Manufacturers)
Light-Machine-Guns - Issued on a squad-by-squad basis, these weapons are primarily used for laying down suppressive fire, and are quite ammunition hungry. They can also function, to a lesser degree, as anti-air weapons to ward off enemy fighters. (Minimi, Squad Assault Weapon, PKPs)
LASMs - Light-Anti-Structure-Missiles are single-shot rocket launchers, designed to simply hurl a rocket filled with explosives at high speed. These rockets are useless against anything with enough armour, but are useful for demolishing small concrete buildings. These are also issued on a squad-by-squad basis. (Various Designers)
Heavy Machine Guns - Still very much in widespread use, engineer companies are issued with heavy guns that require mountings and several members to use, however a squad with a single heavy gun can operate as not only a defensive position, but to ward off enemy aircraft much more effectively than an LMG.
Anti-Vehicular Equipment
Anti-Material Rifles - The largest handheld rifles able to be operated. There are only 2 models of an anti-tank rifle capable of penetrating a medium tank, being the Baretta Anti-Material rifle and the heavier and more powerful Type 42.
Anti-Tank Unguided Rocket Launcher - With the RPG still an effective weapon, the Russian designed unguided rockets are still the most commonly deployed heavy weapon in the alliance arsenal. Millions have been produced and deployed all across Alliance space.
Anti-Tank Missile - Rarer, the ATGM launcher has come a long way since it's adoption in the 1950s. Modern ATGMs come with infrared sights and simplified targeting suites that allow easy locking. (Panzerschreks, Javelins, TOWs, Modified RPGs)
Additional Equipment
MANPAD - Man Portable Aerial Defence System, or MANPADS are rocket launchers who's roll is to intercept and ward off enemy aircraft. This includes a wide range of devices. (Fliegerfaust, Javelins, Stingers)
Grenades - Still an infantrymens best friend, the standard issue alliance grenade is the german designed 'Potato Masher'. A stick based grenade designed more for assaults, and while occasionally supplemented with Atlantean designed Mills Bombs, the Potato Masher is infinitely easier to use and throw. Packing a powerful punch.
Armour - The American designed Tactical Assault Vest is a modular vest that can utilize various trauma plates. From the more lightweight ceramo-metal forms that stop smaller caliber rifles, up to the modern Titanium-alloy shields designed to spread an impact over the entire body.
Helmet - The standard issue alliance helmet is designed with a detachable lower plate for comfort. These also possess a long lip that can defend a soldier from falling debris while possessing an optional drop-down display to relay tactical information