CHAPTER 2
Major Thomas C. Hawkins of the United States Marine Corps yawned in the seat of his Orbital frame's cockpit. An Orbital Frame is much like a LEV, only it is not made out of any type of metal, but rather it is made out of metatron. They have many more advancements than LEV's. One of those advancements is a self supporting armour. This armour repairs the orbital frame when it is damaged. Orbital Frames also have an AI (artificial intelligence) computer that helps out the pilot and gives the pilot battle strategies. Major Hawkins was piloting a Type C Orbital Frame, known as a Nieth. A Nieth is a close range type orbital frame which has three boosters coming out of its back which the points of form the points of a triangle. These boosters allow great mobility. The Nieths of all of the Marines were painted black. They were designed to blend in with the darkness of the night. He was flying over Vascilia county. Major Hawkins looked at his watch. It read 11.45 pm. It was only fifteen minutes till mission start. He was ready.
Major Hawkins (call sign Hawk) was twenty-five years old. He had black hair (which he spikes) and brown eyes. He was of lean build and currently wore the united states Marine corps uniform. He had grown up on Mars, but had migrated to Earth as a stow-away at the age of fifteen. The reason, his father had been killed in action. His father was a single parent (and worked for Bahraam, the terrorist group of Mars that was destroyed by Dingo Egret and his Orbital Frame) and when he had died, Hawkins found out from a contact of his fathers' that it was Nohman (leader of Bahraam) who had allowed his father (and his unit) to die. That contact was Dingo Egret, (his father's commander) the only survivor of that unit. Hawkins had snuck away to Earth to join the UNSF army and defeat Bahraam to avenge his father. He had adapted to the way of Earth living, and ended up becoming a permanent citizen. He didn't end up destroying Bahraam (it was destroyed by Dingo Egret first), but he knew his father was avenged. He now fights for the Marines.
In his unit of Marines there were five men. The commander was Colonel Kane Warren. He was in his forties and still going strong in his Nieth. Sergeant Scott Jaeger, a very dark and secretive soldier who keeps to himself. Barry Watkins, the legendary soldier who destroyed 25 orbital frames while piloting a LEV during the crevasse battle (a large battle during the Aumaan war that involved Orbital Frame Jehuty). And last but not least, Michael Rodgers, newest member of the group, still fitting in with the Marine way.
Lieutenant Ben inspected his watch. It was 11.50 pm. He had been inspecting the rubble of the space port for four hours now. After reaching the space port, they found damaged and destroyed LEV's and buildings everywhere. No one had survived the explosion. Ben was disgusted.
"Just wait till I get my hands on the man who did this" he said to Sarah Miner.
"I know" replied Sarah in a harsh tone. "Can we go home now."
"I guess so," said Ben. He was really hoping that at least one of the second generation LEV's on the freighter would've survived the crash. But to his dismay, there was nothing but rubble. "Ok guys, lets head on home" and with that, the Dead Eyes began their walk home.
The five Nieths landed one mile away from the UMCorp. factory. A few weeks ago, the Marines Corps had been tipped off by an under cover agent working in a Vascilian factory that the factory was illegally building an Orbital Frame. It was codenamed Apophis. Their mission was to secure the factory and destroy the frame. They couldn't allow Mars to get their hands on orbital frames again, it was too dangerous, especially after what Bahraam did. It was 11.55 pm, five minutes till mission start.
General Sam Marsden prepared himself. The United States Marine Corps were on their way. He was told this by a member of the USM (United states Marines Corps). That man was Lieutenant Scott Jaeger. Scott Jaeger worked for Marsden but he had originally worked for USM. When Marsden left Earth with the warship Osiris, Jaeger stayed so that when ever Marsden needed to know anything, he would find out off Jaeger. That is how Marsden knew about the KUMAR freighter travelling to Mars. It is where Marsden gets all his info on the Earthen Military. Marsden was currently waiting for USM at the factory. He had been their for about an hour now.
11.58 pm. The marines inspected the factories defences. The factory only had twelve LEV's protecting it and two auto cannons (one at each corner of the front of the factory). Auto cannons are large perimeter defences that a lot of bases and factories have built into them. They automatically lock onto and fire at enemies. And with 200 mm bullets, they were a force to be reckoned with.
11.58 pm and 59 seconds. Marsden activated the Auto cannons.
11.59 pm. On the other side of Vascilia Lieutenant Ben Donovan walks his platoon home.
11.59 pm and 30 seconds. "Prepare yourselves men!" commands Colonel Kane Warren.
11.59 pm and 50 seconds. Marsden commands his men to their positions.
12.00 pm. All hell breaks loose.
