Marine
November 18, 2535
Lamdba Serpentis System, Jericho VII
Seventeen Pelican drop ships could be seen flying swiftly over the ground.
Locklear sat looking at his squad mates. His best friend, Corporal Rico sitting cross from him, he was the same age as Locklear, twenty eight. He was the squads second in command, and he carried the comm. equipment. Next to Locklear was Private Chips Dubbo, he was the most energetic out of them, at the age of twenty six. All the way from the Outback, he fought like a wildcat. On Locklear's other side sat Private Perez, the squad's sniper, he was young to be a killer, twenty three. Across from Locklear on his right side sat Private Pedro, he was the demolitions man of the squad, his SPNKR sat next to him. At the age of twenty six, he could already make a bomb out of a clock. At the front of the Pelican sat a smoking Sergeant Banks, his cigar half gone. His favorite weapon, the shotgun, at his side. The Sergeant was nearing 4forty five. Yet he could still beat all of them. Next to him sat the missions CO, a lieutenant Wilson. Banks didn't want him here for three reasons, one he was only twenty seven. Two the boy had never been in battle and three because he was a stuck up snot.
"Five minutes to dirt!" called the pilot from up front.
One of the men puked, no one said anything, they all felt the same.
"Lieutenant, Sir!" The pilot called back. "I think you'd better hear this."
Wilson was too frightened to stand, let alone walk that far.
"Put it on speakers." The nervous Lieutenant called back.
"sir, I don't think…"
"Do it!" Wilson yelled.
"Yes sir," mumbled the pilot.
Over the speakers a voice could be heard. 'This is lead Pelican, we are approaching the drop zone.' In the background fire could be heard. 'Drop zone is hot; I repeat drop zone is ho….' The pelican co pilot suddenly screamed, 'watch it! Their right….' An explosion, then static.
Banks glanced at his men's frightened eyes, he know they would fight, but he also know they some would die. He starred at Wilson's shaking body. "Sir, I think we should scrub the mission."
Wilson starred at the sergeant, he know if he stopped and turned back his career would be over. No he wouldn't ruin his career on some old mans opinion.
"No! We keep going." Wilson snapped back.
"Sir, might I suggest…" Banks began.
"No you may not suggest anything, just do your job, or you will be demoted." Wilson threatened.
"Yes sir." Mumbled Banks.
"Thirty seconds!" yelled the pilot.
The ship rocked from explosions. Banks decided to lift the men's moral a little.
"Alright lads, time to show these covy bastereds who their messin with." The men began to lift their faces a little. "Remember what we fight for."
"Earth!" shouted the men.
Banks nodded his approval. "Remember that, and you will live for ever."
"Hoo-Hah!" The men bellowed.
The drop ship started to land, the pelican was rocking the whole way down. "This is it," the pilot called from up front. "May God have mercy on you." Shouted the co pilot.
Wilson stood in front, the ramp began to lower and he prepared to jump……
"God damnit!" Yelled Perez as the Lieutenants blood splatters his face. Wilson's body drops from the ship, with a plasma bolt through his throat.
Rico looks towered Banks. "Looks like your in charge sir."
Banks stepped over the lieutenant's body and motioned for his men. "Get to cover."
Locklear jumped from the Pelican and ran for a ditch, he leaped in, splattering himself with mud. Perez and Rico slid in beside him. He took a quick look over the crescent of the hole. He quickly ducked as plasma fire flew over his head.
"How many Locklear?" Rico asked.
"Four shades, five ghosts, one Wraith tank, and a mix of grunts, jackals, and elites." Reported Locklear. "All of 'em on top of a steep hill."
Banks heard it over the comm. He didn't like it. "Alright, Pedro I want you to take two other rocketers and head to the left, open fire on the shades when I give the signal. Perez find a good spot and cover us, the rest of you, get ready to move out." Banks cocked his M9 shotgun.
Koy-Koy, was firing at anything that moved, the shade was ripping through the humans. He wanted this over so he could take a break in the methane chambers, he didn't care about the humans, nor did he really care about his grunt brothers. All he wanted was some rest. He saw movement to his left and turned to fire, all he saw was a rocket, and then he got his rest.
Banks watched as three o the shades blow up. "Alright men here we go!" The marines charged from the trenches and ran towered the enemy. The wraith turned and fired.
Locklear saw the ball of plasma coming straight for them. It landed in the mist of five marines, three of them were blown seven feet, and the other two were completely burned. Jackals sprang out in front of them, shields at the ready. Locklear throw a frag over their shields, it blow three of them away.
Banks fired his M9 and spun as the round ripped through a jackal and his shield. He rolled a frag towered a group of jackals and watched as they were ripped to shreds.
Thirty meters away on a hill top, Pedro and three others sat and aimed for the wraith tank. Three dull thuds sounded as the rockets flew from their tubes and struck the wraith. It blew instantly.
"Hoo-Hah, that was good shooting," Pedro said to other two. "Drinks on m…." He stopped as he heard a sound in the distance. He turned to see twenty…..
"Banshees!"