2185
August 5th
Omega Nebula
Amada System
Planet Alchera
Local Clock: Established as 10:33am
crrnch...
crnnch...
crnnchh...
With every step she took...
With each and every one...
The snow beneath her crunched, and crunched hard. Despite the sound-muffling qualities of her helmet's dampeners, or the impact-absorbent qualities of her armor's material, neither of them could not shut out the echo of the snow as her weight crushed it down, or the firm, yet slightly crumbling resistance of the millions of snowflakes giving way underfoot as she trekked forward.
She may have been a many, many a lightyear away from Amaterasu, or Earth, but walking through snow was still the same. She may have been wearing a suit of environmentally sealed, combat-rated armor that cost thousands of credits as opposed to a set of snow pants, parkas, gloves, shoes and a hat bought from a local winter supply store...but, even so..
Walking through snow was still the same. It was now, as it was then..
Except, for one critical difference. Well, actually, several of them, honestly, but there was one that stood out above the rest:
She might...might, be walking to her own death.
And, not only her death, but also those of her fellow Marines alongside her now.
As the hhhH...hhhHH...hhhHh... of her own breathing reverberated through her helmet, filling her ears nonstop with its primal echo...the automatic reminder of how she wasn't alone, and that she had a squad to look after, compelled her to glance around and check on them..
...again, that is. It sure had happened before, but they were on an alien planet. They were someplace that none of them had ever been, and had 0 knowledge of. God only knew what kind of perils and dangers awaited them on this " scouting " run, or how severe any of them would be.
Her team and her would have to face them, together. Ashley had to keep her focus on this world, yes...but she had to do the same for her team.
Thus...
Yuki..
On turning her head toward the right, Ashley found the Japanese woman was still on her flank there. She was moving steadily, with a kind of power that belied her slight, trim frame. Her movements were quick and precise as ever, despite the thickened snow that wrapped itself around her ankles whenever she set a foot down. Her Lancer-customized just to where regulations would allow with a string of Japanese characters that spelled out the phrase " Ehime remembers you "- was held correctly ( again, as always ), and seemed ready for action at a moment's notice.
It was reassuring, really, to find this was the case. Despite their circumstances, and despite all the unknown dangerous, manmade or otherwise that were near-certainly all around them on a world that had 0 trace of civilization anywhere to be seen...she was keeping it together. She wasn't letting discipline slip for herself- and that was aside from any of Ashley's doing what she could to ensure it stayed strong.
With a focus on that...that was still this strong even now ?
An edge of confidence renewed itself across the whole of the Williams woman, and she offered a brief prayer of thanks. If there was anything to be thankful for...anything, then it was this.
Perhaps, through it ( and with a dosage of Godly assistance, needless to say )...this run of theirs might uncover something useful.
"...Hey ? Hey, Gunny..."
The abrupt entry of a French accent , though, re-directed her attention, as it sounded through her earpiece. It wasn't as if she'd forgotten Janes was there, though; that would've been out of the question. After all, if nothing else, there was always the overlapping crrnnch, crrrnch, crnnncchh of several footfalls through he seemingly endless snow, as opposed to only one.
Really...the conversation was good. This whole environment was just...it was just too austere, really.
" Gunny...? "
" ...Send it, Janes ". Ashley mentally kicked herself for that moment of slight distraction. It wasn't like her, and she fully acknowledged it wasn't befitting an NCO. A first-year private, maybe, but Ol' Gunny Ellison would be having a fit if he ever found out- or worse, go off on another one of those verbose rants that left all recruits who heard it as terrified as they were confused...
...but, it was only the snow...that was causing it.
Just the snow.
It had to be..
"..Roger that, Gunny ". There was some...slight doubt with how Janes said it, but...Ashley didn't have any reason to suspect that she had anything to do with it. Besides, all the more reason to fully hear him out.
Said other Marine continued after another half second or so. "...What are the chances there's at least some team of...geologists out here ? "
" Geologists ? ". Ashley quirked a brow, even though nobody would notice. It didn't matter, though.
" That's kind of random-ass, Private. What gives you the idea geologists would be kicking around a forgotten iceball like this ? ", she added, tipping her head toward the vast landscape of pure white snow and ice all around them.
" They're geologists, not an N7 Team. There's nothing manmade on this whole planet except for our pod...and any others that managed to land.. "
" Respectfully, Gunny...all the Geologists willing to set foot off a station or ship tend to be made of sterner stuff ", Janes replied with conviction.
It was that notable conviction that piqued Ashley's sense of curiosity- and offered a welcome distraction from the quickly-mounting tedium of slogging through the snow of this seemingly endless snowfield covering this ridge...which itself also didn't seem to want to end.
With nothing and nobody to fire on, and with nothing that clearly had been built rather than formed to bother paying attention to, it wasn't exactly a bad thing to having something to discuss...and by " something ", that was a surprisingly wider net than Ashley would've thought.
Here I am...on some nowhere planet that probably doesn't exist on 90 percent of Star maps...
...talking about the field of Geology.
Good Lord...
As outlandish, and even ridiculous as it all sounded, things were as they were, and at least she was alive. They all were, and had not forgotten their objective.
So...might as well go along with this, she knew.
" ..You sound pretty sure of that ", Ashley observed. " Almost as if you've got personal experience on your side. "
" I wish..! ", came the response. " Well...close enough, anyway. I grew up around it..."
"..Wait...really ? ", called out Yumi. " You were a geologist ? Really ? "
" No...but I was exposed to it pretty much every day ! ", Janes clarified. " A lot of walking...around the Alps of Switzerland. Places like this.."
" First of all...". Ashley, having waited to choose her moment, had now found it, and spoke her mind on the issue...as she did with all the others.
" The Alps actually had civilization ! Things that were built, and constructed ", she reminded them, matter of factly. " Drilling for core samples with Zurich just 3 hours away is a whole' nother ball game from doing the same thing 3 day-cycles worth of FTL travel from it. "
" Well...", Yumi began to object.
Ashley, thought, didn't let her finish so quickly. " Not even gonna go on about how they usually don't end up where they wanna be by crash landing out of the sky...was that normal for you, Janes ?"
She made a point, with only moment left to spare before that sentence ran out, to phrase it as a question, not a rebuke. No need to go there when nobody had screwed up to earn it.
Besides, Janes soon proved he could take things on the chin.
" ..Can't say it was, no. But, I did watch some comets fall on at least one or two nights...so that's still ' falling from the sky '. "
" Not you, though ", Yumi observed. " Because otherwise, you'd be a rock we'd be studying by now ! "
She chuckled with genuine mirth right afterwards, amid several " Ehh...ok, ok, have your fun "s from the bemused Frenchman. Ashley, meanwhile, refrained from comment on this one, but...she let them have their moment of levity.
She let them...because they needed it. They weren't losing their focus on staying alert, and watching their surroundings- which, had it been different , yes, she would've had something to say. Desolate wasteland or not, a Marine couldn't let their guard down. That'd been one of the lessons that Gunny Ellison had successfully gotten to stick, despite ) or, perhaps even because of ) his uniquely over-worded approach to wrangling newcomers to the Alliance Marine Corps.
That would be fatal.
But, stopping it was as much her responsibility as it was theirs. Fortunately, though...they were holding it together.
And that's what counted.
Besides, they too must've sensed the need to keep their heads on task, because it was around then that they naturally fell back to that well-honed, and often-practiced routine of just...marching. Marching, with themselves arranged loosely as a line as they edged their way ever closer toward the top of this long, heavily-drawn-out, and ski-resort-angled expanse of snow that rose toward the sky ahead.
A sky that was just getting closer and closer, the longer they trekked. They'd already been at it for the past 20 minutes, and still had not yet reached the summit of the ridge...which proved, once again, that perhaps all the rucking they'd done during basic had actually paid off after all.
It was coming back to help them, at long last...
And how, given that they were actually closing down on the end of the slightly-depressed path through the snow that they'd been following all along. More than once, Ashley had contemplated that it might actually be some kind of sunken, long-ago-dried riverbed ( An arroyo , her mind had quickly reminded her ), but it still didn't seem worth talking out loud about, so she hadn't bothered.
Though, after this latest revelation of Janes having a weirdly unexpected background with Geology ( of all the things the man might've been doing to any level prior to entering the Corps...Geology was pretty low on the list, Ashley could confirm ), maybe it was worth revisiting.
Maybe...but not yet.
Not yet.
Mostly because...they were actually just about there.
Just about...right...
...About...
...Now.
"...Ok..."
"...Ok...halt, everyone ! Halt ! "
Raising her volume, Ashley issued the necessary order, while raising a closed fist above her head and coming to a stop.
The unceasing pattern of crrnnnch, crrnnnchh, crrrnnchhh that'd been going on from the moment they'd left the escape pod finally did exactly that-cease. A quick glance left and right confirmed it as well- Janes and Yumi had stopped pretty much right where they were supposed to, which was evenly on Ashley's left and right flanks. It wasn't a parade-ground perfect finish, but for the field...it would do.
A field that had yet to have the bark of mass accelerator fire echo across it, that is.
And , one that, for all appearances, seemed so-
"...Hallelujah...so, we've made it...", observed Janes.
" ...Dieu ( God ). Maybe you were right after all, Gunny. There really is nothing there.."
" Just...just the snow. "
Yumi, meanwhile, was evidently the one to have nothing to say now, but frankly, Ashley did not blame her. Sometimes...what was out there before was more than you could find the right words for it. Or...maybe you just wanted to leave it to someone else.
Either way, though, it was taken care of. Because there was nothing untrue about what Janes had said.
...There really was nothing there.
Ashley, now having switched her Lancer back for a two-handed grip, could only do what the others were doing as well, and just gaze out over the landscape.
A desolate, empty, trackless landscape. From where they stood, atop this ridgeline, to all the way out to where the horizon ran, there was nothing- nothing- but snow. Glaringly white, salt-white, laundry-detergent-powder- white. It...it leapt out at them, even from miles away, and it glinted like a sheet of metal would under the glare of the planet's star.
If it wasn't for the automatically-activated glare-reduction feature of their helmet visors, the glare would've been truly overwhelming. As it was, though, it still hit hard, and it just served to have the other features of the land stand out like a cherry on top of a cake- jagged, razor sharp looking, almost evil rock formations that jutted up from out of the ground. They formed raggedly ridgelines of their own, witch wound their way across the 'scape like the backs of a herd of sea monsters, set against the glaring white of the snow and ice.
Halos of light filled the upper corner of Ashley's field of view, and way off down on the snow plains below, she could just make out the dimples of what were...maybe impact craters from meteors ? There were absolutely dips and dents down there, pretty close to where their own ridge ended...as if something had hit hard from orbit, but then gotten filled by snowfall. But, not enough, evidently, to completely hide it..
Altogether...it was...
...it was, to be absolutely honest, rather beautiful. A classic, traditional kind of natural beauty. One that might exist back on Earth if you visited Alaska, or the Rockies of Colorado. The Alps of Switzerland as well, obviously.
Though...it would be even prettier if there was any sign that anyone had ever been here...which, there wasn't.
Not that they could see from here, at least. Ashley could not get a single hint of anything from here that seemed to be made of metal, concrete, or even glass. No shapes either, that could only be manmade, like cubes or pyramids, rectangles, or any combination of them. She'd been looking back and forth, watching for them...yet...
...It appeared...that Janes was right.
There really was...nothing.
Nothing.
"...Nothing here, that is ".
Yes, he might've been right, but Ashely couldn't let them forget that this was a whole planet they'd crashed on. A whole planet...which was even the size of Mars, at least. Crashing on it, and finding everything around you wasn't anything but snow was the same thing as crashing on one of those aforementioned areas of Earth, but then thinking the whole planet was depopulated just from what you saw.
That, as well, was a fatal mistake.
" ...But there might be someone else on this rock besides us yet ! ", Ashley firmly reminded the others. There was a chance- perhaps, not high, but it was there. A chance that any one of the myriad of under-the-radar sorts who set down on planets like this- remote, un-built, and horribly isolated-, like smugglers, freelance traders, cartographers...and even pirates, could have done the same here.
If they were here - if, that is- then they'd have a ship...
...one that could be..."borrowed ".
...Hmmmm...
...Not the most risk-free plan ever...but...
...its something...
Better articulate it for everyone first, though..
" Not sure if that's good, or bad...". Yumi was speaking slightly more quickly now...which she'd always done whenever she was thinking just as quickly. "...I mean, I want to be optimistic...but.."
" And you'd be right ", Ashley assured the other woman. " But that's not the whole of it ! "
She immediately proceeded to elaborate, before anyone could get caught by speculative thinking. That would be waste.
Pointing down, she briskly went on, allowing the pace to build on its own. " The only limit to our search is how much air and food the pod can survive with...and how much we can carry ourselves. We can see from here..."
Waving an arm around, she encompassed the planet's surface before them. " ...That there's nothing around here that isn't made out of rocks or snow crystals...and we can't just " Long March " our way all over this place lookin' for someone. But...you see that ridge, over there ? "
Ashley stabbed an arm out, then slowly panned across a length of the horizon, pointing with one armored finger.
" That one ", she added, doing her best to cover herself from the power of the sun's laser-like effect.
Thankfully, she didn't have to do it for long, because the other two quickly cottoned on...
...mostly.
"...At...at the center ? ", asked Yuki, with a tinge of confusion, as she pointed as well at where she thought it was. " That one ? "
" Roger that ", confirmed Ashley. " That's our limit. There. "
As the impromptu survey session got underway, Janes remained unspoken- though, exactly why, nobody knew for sure. There could easily be many, sure...but until he actually said so ( or, stayed quiet for too long ), it wasn't a problem.
Ashley didn't doubt he was listening, though...and that's was ultimately counted the most out of anything else. Effective communication, from the top on down- that's how a successful unit was run. Without it, there would be terrible gaps with who knew what at the moment when they needed to know it. And, on a wretchedly empty and isolated icehouse like this...that was even more applicable.
..Oh...!
..Dang it, you rookie..!
...As it turned out, Ashley had nearly forgotten the other rule of communicating: over-communicating. Thankfully, though, the reminder had seemingly just...burst forth on its own volition, without a chance for it to become a real problem arising first.
Perhaps...that was another leftover effect from Gunny Ellison's teachings. He'd been surprisingly good at getting those under his charge to listen, and pay attention, with that seemingly-ridiculous speech pattern of verbosity and Webster-Dictionary-has-been-memorized level of sophisticated vocabulary. All of that, though, wasn't something Ashley had begun to understand till near the end of her training cycle boot camp, at Macapa Barracks, on Earth. Or, even more so, not until after she'd gone through advanced follow though training, and gotten deployed...albeit, to a quiet and lazy backwater world, as opposed to somewhere more...strategic, but active deployment were active deployments, and the best place to put to use what she had learned.
Needless to say, though...current circumstances were absolutely beyond all reasonable expectations...
Yet, she'd make it work.
She had to.
" Janes ! Private ! You get all that ? "
"...Roger that, Gunny ! ".
The response was crisp enough, but slightly distracted. Just slightly, but it was there.
Behind her faceplate, Ashley frowned. She couldn't well berate and hold herself to higher standard, if those she was responsible for didn't do the same nonstop...or got called out on if they stumbled.
Another lesson learned, from long ago...
Turning around, Ashley spoke to him again, pitching her voice louder. " Private ? What did I just say, then ?! "
Here we go..
You're not hiding from this...
If you ever were, that is. But, we'll find out...
" ..Oh. Um..."
" This isn't grade school, Private . Stammer when you're off the clock ! ", Ashley prodded.
Not to hard, though, but it could not be ignored.
And it wasn't.
".I...just got lost thinking about...the scale of this place...", confessed the French Marine. " There might not be...there might not be anyone for an area wide than the whole Bouches-De-Rhone Department...or twice as wide. "
Personally, Ashley had no clue that such a place called " Bouches-De-Rhone " existed anywhere, even when it came to France-somewhere that was known for having names that sounded like someone just chose letter tiles at random out of a French-Language Scrabble bag. Judging from Janes' cursory description of it, though...presumably it was wide ? More than the state of Delaware, presumably...but then again, it was French, so it couldn't hold a candle to Colorado's size. Or Texas...or Alaska.
Then again...it was more than you could view from a soaring ridgeline like this, and even here, they could all gaze out for miles- roughly a dozen, give or take. What this " Bouches-De-Rhone " place was...ah, so it was comparable to this.
Just not Alaska, though. Obviously.
"...You're not getting cynical on me, are you ?! "
She was serious about it, yes, but Ashley was aware, that she had a responsibility to keep morale as high as she could. Not by ladling on the false hope, though, needless to say...but by giving it to them all straight. To be honest with them about their chances, and maybe give them another way of looking at what appeared to be a grim, or even hopeless situation.
Not that said situation wasn't that bad, though, or even outright " hopeless ". Or that Ashley had any serious doubts and misgivings about it herself...which she did. She could sense them right now, like the cold of this world that was gripping her from end to end, despite the provided warmth of her hardsuit...
Those depressing, cynical thoughts of her own, that would not stop hounding her...
The ones that kept coming forward, on their own..
Vince...
Vince...I miss you so much.
...like that. Seriously, they were achieving borderline sentience, and coming forth when the rest of her mind- the side she did have control over- went anywhere near anything that had anything to do with mental gymnastics. It was the longest -running mental issue she'd been grappling with for most of her adult life...and it wasn't going away at any point during the near future, it seemed.
Another problem to deal with...on top of all the others.
But...that would have to wait.
For not, at the least.
" No...just...probably thinking too much ", came the answer. It was a tad...dismissive ? Rushed ? As if , perhaps, Janes had recognized it as some kind of weakness, and didn't want to dwell.
Frankly, Ashley had serious doubts on that...but, it was a maze to be navigated at a later date.
For the moment...they had a survival situation to navigate their way out of. That took priority, for as long as it lasted...
God willing, though...they could do something to shorten it. As much as possible.
" Well..."
Snow crunched on Ashley's right, as Yumi stepped forward a few feet. "...For one, I can't think of anything else, so...if you're all for this plan, Gunny, then I say we go for it. "
" Beats just letting the cold chew on me, at least. "
There was palpable disdain on the word cold during that sentence, and it did elicit a slight grin from Ashley. Evidently, the hate for frigid temperatures was near-universal- and that was something to smile about.
God knew they could use it.
Still, he also helped those who helped themselves, so...
" Got the right idea , Private ", Ashley commended her. It wasn't a competition, but credit still deserved to be given where it was due.
" Let me get the pod on the horn, and run this by 'em. Might have to hike back first..."
" ...Fun. ", observed Janes, with a tone that ( astonishingly ), didn't even sound sarcastic. Not that he wasn't, but...well, anyway.
Vaguely snarky comment notwithstanding, Ashley got on with it. She shifted her Lancer to her other hand, and keyed her comms on with the other.
" ..Guassman ? Hey, Gausman ! This is Gunnery Sergeant Williams...respond ! "
...It was then, right then, as she was speaking now, that Ashley found out how dry her mouth had become. Throughout the long, arduous march along the ridge's slant, towards its peak...she'd had no chance to drink anything. But, somehow, she hadn't noticed the effects ! Whether due to adrenaline, or hyper-focus on the alternating staggeringly beautiful vista of the snow-smothered landscape/ the ominous possibility that she and her fellow Alliance might be the only sentient lifeforms for a thousand miles...if not on the whole planet, had proved surprisingly effective at distracting her from that crippling thirst.
Mind over matter, it seemed. It was real.
...Yet another problem, it was.
Then again...they weren't under fire, yet...there was still plenty of room for filling said gaps. Better now than then, that was for sure.
They would have to, and God willing, sooner. But, first...
" Private Guassman...! "
SSV Normandy escape pod SREV ( Space-Rated Escape Vehicle ) number 987-654-321
20 minutes later
"...beyond the ridgeline, on the horizon. That's the- or, at least should be- our designated limit for a search ", Ashley finished, having helpfully gestured as needed with both hands for emphasis.
" Yes. Anything past that would stretch our O2 supplies, and we're running on a shoestring budget when it comes to that ", added Yuki. " Not to mention food..."
" About that...". Janes slowly remarked. "...How are the rations doing, exactly ? Couldn't have much of a chance to grab extras when we were all jumping ship. I only grabbed 3.."
" ...Crikey. Can't believe its the bloody Frenchman who didn't forget to grab extra chow while running for his life ", Gausman needled.
...God...
I should smack your dumb head for that
Ashley's mentally-contemplated psychical reprimand against the smart-assed Aussie soon proved to have no need , though, because the aforementioned Frenchman didn't take it lying down.
" What else was I supposed to do, Gus ? Your fat self needs twice the calories of an elephant. "
The razor-sharp remark definitely elicited more than one grin among the packed Jarheads and sailors sharing the pod- and that wasn't a bad thing. Morale, and optimism were vital commodities, and well-articulated comebacks like that one boosted it more than many who didn't serve might realize. There was still a line that could be crossed, obviously- not taking their overall situation seriously, to use precise wording- but...some levity, at the right moment, and when things were not so dire that it wouldn't fit at all...then...
...then, it was ok.
For as long as it lasted. Which, ideally, was about 10 or so seconds. Because after that, they had to buckle down once again.
And, sure, enough, right on cue...that's what happened. Ashley was all set to be the one to right the ship, so to speak, but found a moment later, that she didn't need to.
" Ok...ok...we're all extremely amused, Private.. ".
Chakwas, with her curiously " British accent mixed with some Canadian- about a teaspoon's worth " accent , had now taken charge once again. As the ranking officer of the pod, she was technically their (temporary, hopefully ) new CO, and was more and more embracing that role...on top of being her everyday Corpsman self.
Then again...it was actually going well , and she'd even refrained from dragging Ashley's name and rep, not to mention her credibility through the mud just for who her Grandad was ! That alone earned her points as much as the girl from the islands was concerned.
Go head, Doc...
We'll play " Toss the command ball " together..
...well, us and Juikara, that is. Always gotta follow that chain..
Not a problem.
Folding armored arms, Ashley leaned back, and observed as the doc stood from where she'd been- beside Uzek, as usual. The burned man was still conscious, but...still suffering from a lot of pain, and quite lethargic. That kind of damage needed attention round the clock, and that Chakwas could provide it capably to him ( which she was, because she was good ), and still managed an escape pod's worth of Marines and Sailors...?
She'd missed her calling. Could've made an excellent squad officer...
Actually is right now...
...Anyway..
"..Amused. But, put it on the back burner for now. We need a plan, as we all know, or none of us are getting out of this alive, short of a God-sent miracle. ", stated the Corpsman with a calm, yet naturally confident tone.
That did the tricks. Heads pivoted, along with the bodies attached, and a hush of sorts fell across everyone. Ashley found herself thoroughly impressed- for someone who mostly stitched wounded Jarheads together for a living, the doc was a better officer than some who were supposed to be trained for it !
By all appearances, a hidden gem...
" We're going to go step, by step, till we fully hash something out. ", she went on. " Beginning with the results of Gunnery Sergeant Williams' patrol...and go from there. "
Pointing at the NCO with the blacklisted family, the Corpsman beckoned her. " Let's hear it, Williams. You said you and your fireteam found 0 trace of sentient life ? "
Always good to get called on..
..mostly.
Ashley pushed off the bulkhead she'd been resting on, and dutifully complied with alacrity.
" ...That's correct , Commander. ", Ashley confirmed. " Absolutely nothing out there, but snow, ice...and a whole lotta rocks. Couldn't even get a hint of a dropped flask, let alone a habitat cluster. "
Out the corner of her field of view, the NCO winced mentally at how several of the onlookers showed signs of concern- bit lips, frowns, etc. Not worry, or fear though...they weren't children, after all. They weren't all a bunch of rawhides and greenhorns who hung on every last scrap of good news to keep from succumbing to despair...but, the longer the situation remained bad- stranded, as things were for them, specifically, then the longer the doubt could fester.
That's why they needed action. That's why they needed results...and quickly.
Yesterday's brand of quickly, to be accurate.
" Couldn't ping anyone else on long-range suit comms, either . That could means several things: Any of the other pods might not have landed close by...or if any of their survivors are on the move, they might not have closed on our position enough to contact us. Between all that, though...yeah, we're still on our own. "
Bearer of bad news...
I know. I know...
Sucks like a vacuum cleaner. But, you all deserve the truth.
However bitter it may be
" Tell me about it ", Guasman griped, clearly frustrated. " I hailed every comms line I could- and it was quieter than my house back at Melbourne ( Mel-burn ) on a Saturday morning. "
...
Well...
...at least you're joining me on the " Let's crush everyone's spirits " team..
Yay
Chakwas nodded slowly. " Yes...we've had no success when it comes to establishing a link with any other pods. God knows where they might've landed- these crafts were only designed for a short-term exposure to space, before getting recovered by an Alliance vessel. If any of them did make planetfall on Alchera, there's no telling where. "
" And we must consider that ", she emphasized. " This is an entire planet we're talking about. Its unreasonable to ignore the possibility that pods could be separated by tens of miles...assuming how many of them even made it down here at all. That all said, though...until we can reestablish contact, I concur with Gunnery Sergeant Williams. A search of the immediate AO must be carried out, and at once. "
" I like that ' At once ' ", commented a typically-matter-of-fact Rumiah. " Because...honestly, dying while sitting on my hands doesn't sit right with me. "
" Aren't you bloody cheerful.. ", came a slightly annoyed response- one uttered with a strong Aussie accent.
" Just staying a realist. ", Rumiah countered, not backing down.
Realist...
...realist.
...That one word triggered a purely automatic reflex for Ashley: cold electrical ripples along her spine, out through her limbs, and a subtle biting of her lower lip. She couldn't help it; it was purely reflexive, and she couldn't help it at all. She could not help but remember...of how she'd said that exact same thing to Vince once..
" I am more of an optimist, Williams.."
" A pessimist is what an optimist calls a realist. "
...Was that a hostile exchange, or just robustly so ? Honestly, it was hard to be sure. That was the weird thing about Marines- they loved to smudge the line between busting chops, and actually going for each other's throats. It was something that just..persisted throughout the Corps, no matter how long it'd been around.
Regardless, though...it was still a diversion right now. Chakwas had made a good point just now, and Ashley got the distinct impression that she wasn't finished.
And, she was soon proven right.
" Settle down, Marines...". Chakwas told them, sounding disturbingly like a mom criticizing a disobedient teenager- which was actually a good description of most Marines anyway, given that they were mostly barely more than teens serving the Corps these days, and by more than one measuring stick as well...
Good thing they had someone who was , though.
" We've a lot of things to accomplish, and not much to do it with. Gunnery Sergeant Williams, First Sergeant Juikara- begin organizing search teams to probe the perimeter. Private Guassman ! Take stock of our Oxygen and food supplies. Corporal Ruhimah and Private Janes ! Double-check our Communication systems, and set them to continuous cross-spectrum pinging across all channels. "
" We need to stay bust, and we need to stay active. God helps those who help themselves, and the Devil makes work for idle hands. I won't have idle hands here...not when I have two men who need a full medical suite yesterday ! "
On ( or at least near ) the yesterday, Chakwas gestured behind her to where the men she'd spoken of were: Adams, and Uzek. They'd been placed together, as the two most damaged and torn apart of all the pod's occupants...and they looked it , as well. Adams was still out cold ( well, out cold again, actually ) from all the blood loss and shock, while Uzek was still as lethargic and drowsy as ever. Both were laboring under the effects of the sedative power of MediGel as well ( aside from their damage ), and as such, neither was fit to stand.
And, had Ashley noticed them. For sure. Actually...it'd been close to badly distracting all along, honestly. As much as she'd been paying attention to the improvised briefing/strategizing session...she had constantly glancing at the wounded every few seconds- and fighting off more memories of Eden Prime whenever that happened.
As much as her mental ghosts were always going to be a problem for the foreseeable future, the wounded men were needed help more than she did, and she knew it. For no other reason than that, this pickle of theirs needed to get solved.
They had to survive. They had to find some form of help, if any existed within their reach. And, if all else failed, they had to stay alive till the Alliance came for them.
Nothing else would do. Ashley could feel that determination pulsing through her, becoming stronger ( at least, for now. God willing, it would last ) than anything else weighing her down.
They- all of them- had to do this. They had to...
More like the 212th ?
They way they ended their days...?
No.
No...not on my watch
No...!
She breathed deep then, though...as her calmer side thankfully asserted itself. Calm, from faith and family.
Ashley couldn't have been more grateful for both of them now, as Chakwas spoke once more:
" Step lively, everyone ! Oh, and Yuki ! Seal your armor, and stand the first watch outside. These pods don't come with weather monitoring equipment; we must be prepared. "
A ( slightly out of sync, but that was ok ) chorus of " Yes, ma'am ! "s ensued, as the assorted personnel moved to carry out the orders. At least one of them ( with a giveaway Australian accent ) did managed to get overhead muttering , " Always be bloody prepared ", with a suspiciously sing-song tone.
Impressive..
Did you seriously reference that ancient organization ? Really ?!
Oh, my word. Some culture at last.
Letting her mildly improved opinion of the Aussie run its course, Ashley set about filling her role of this plan. As movement commenced throughout the pod, she observed, out the corner of her field of view, Yuki dutifully re-attaching her helmet to the rest of her hardsuit, and heading for the airlock, as Janes helpfully jumped over to cycle it for her.
They were a good team...the three of them. Well oiled and everything. Perhaps...they could be the next patrol.
Why ruin what's successful ?
Well...maybe not ruin, per se...but..
...there's something to be said for it.
Perhaps...but that remained to be seen. It was still step by step...as always.
" Williams ! Front and center over here ! I got some names already marked down...! ", called Juikara, beckoning her way.
" Let's do this rwight, though, eh ?! Sounds like its a ***king hellscape out there...and its not even south Chicago ! "
Truer words had rarely been spoken- perhaps, not ever. Or, ones that had stood the test of many years as well, either. It was borderline poetic...
..and accurate. Tragically accurate.
" Copy that, Master Guns. Permission to check on the wounded first, though ? "
"..You're playing doc, again , Gunny ?! Fine- but you go through the Doc, not yourself. Then get back here ! "
" Easy day, Gunny. Won't take a second. "
" Sure it won't...so get on it yesterday ! "
Nodding crisply , Ashley quickly pivoted toward where Chakwas had gone. The Doc was still close, having moved back to Uzek's side and dropped to a crouch next to him. The burned man's head was lolling to one's side, as the Corpsman diligently began to pull aside his field dressing to have another look at the scorched area that was causing him so much pain.
It was causing Ashley pain too, just to see it, but she put it aside ( though, not her concern ) as she reached them, as Chwaks was just about to begin re-applying another layer of Medigel..
" Hey..! Doc...how's it looking ? Give me the elevator version... "
She hated to ask, but she had to..
For a second or so, the doc didn't answer. Didn't even seem to react that much, aside she went through the process of healing yet again. Uzek moaned again, and clenched his jaw, but didn't say a word...at first.
Understandable, given what she had to do. Finally, however...
" No better, frankly. His burns were extensive, and I can primarily only soothe the pain, and slow the decay of his vitals..."
There was a grimness to how she said that...and Ashley couldn't blame her. Few things were worse than someone you were responsible for outright...well...
...dying on you, and there wasn't much you could do about it. It was pretty much a foghorn-level-loud reminder of her own failure to save any of her squad on Eden Prime...and it was her failure, despite what anybody else said. Vince, God bless him, had been adamant she wasn't to blame for it, but as much as that made her love him more, it couldn't shake loose the gnawing truth she was sure was right.
And, speaking of truths..
" We've only been here a few hours. If we don't get ourselves off-world within 24 of them, or can find any form of on-world presence...well, I would rather not specify further. ", she solemnly finished.
That...that was actually probably for the better, Ashley reflected. She nodded subtly- some things were better left unsaid.
"...'Priciate the honesty , Doc. Thanks. I'll let ya get back to it. "
"...And.. its good to know he's got someone with serious skill looking after him. "
As much as there was no need for the Doc to rely, or even need emotional validation/ affirmation of her ability from anyone- she did it because she cared, and not because she needed it. But...it was well received nonetheless- another nod from the Doc, albeit a grateful one, before she diligently went right back to her bedside manner.
A professional, all the way. Uzek deserved no less.
Preserve him, Lord..
Please. Don't let him go like this..
Beseeching for the wounded complete, Ashley reluctantly turned away. She knew from the jump she couldn't stay long- there was, as Chakwas had said, much to do. And everyone a role to play.
As did she.
" Williams ! "
" Right with you, Master Guns...! ".
The other NCO,somber and contemplative one moment, now had to change gears just like that. She understood, though...
Responsibilities waited for nobody.
Nobody.
So, she went to attend to hers. Determined now, and driven.
The tall Afrikaner was waiting for her, with her own Lancer rifle jutting over the corner of her armor's back. Ashley noticed-just barely- that scar that Juikara had on her jawline. On the right side, reaching toward her ear. If Ashley remembered right, that was from getting shrapnel'd during an operation against Batarian ( as was per usual for the Alliance ) slavers out on the Traverse. She hadn't ever bothered to show it off, or hide it for that matter.
It was just...there. A striking reminder to all of what could happen to anyone pursuing this career- and that it wasn't an obstacle to it, either.
Otherwise...where would she be ?
" Good-you're here ", she greeted the other NCO briskly.
" We gotta buckle down now, understand ? If we're gonna do this sweep, we got to plan it out- "
Hrshhhhh...!
As if on cue, the airlock doors began to cycle open !
" ..What the- ?! "
" Oh, for-! "
A particularly angry burst of Afrikaans ensued, as heads oriented themselves toward the airlock doors began to open- Ashley's among them.
More adrenaline immediately flowed- only one of them had gone outside recently. Yuki had, specifically.
...Outside on watch. Even more specifically..
...Trouble on the horizon ?
Might be...!
Fight mode began to activate for Ashley, and she unslung her Lancer. Just...just if things were about to get violent.
If...
" Private Huzama's back ! ", called Guasman.
" Let her through, then ! ". Storming forward, Juikara headed for the airlock doors.
" What's keeping you, ay ?! "
...Yeah, she's ticked off , for sure.
Only pulls out the " ay " when that's the case..
The Aussie did as he was directed, and a short moment later, the airlock cycled, dispensing one Private Yuki Huzama back through them.
Immediately, Ashley was struck by her expression. It wasn't...fear, but...it was something definitely that warranted a response from onlookers on the lines of " Something is going on right now, and you need to know about it, right now ".
...What on God's frigid iceball that this planet is happened out there ?!
Ashley pulled her ready hand from her gun, but stayed poised. Clearly, something was going down , and soon. The others clearly sensed it as well- there was as stir of sorts that shot through the others, however briefly.
And they didn't have to wait long.
" Private ! " , Ashley shouted, moving and weaving ahead to join Juikara. " Report ! "
Oh, and did she ever. Without wasting a moment, either...
"...I think there's a storm coming...", gasped the Japanese Marine. Urgency dripped off her words, and she pointed behind her.
" And...And it looks like it'll be a Category 5 one as well..."
2176
Johannesburg
South Africa, Earth
Sol System
Local Cluster
August 14th
Local clock: 7:55am
" Goed...Skakel oor ( Good...now switch )! "
The command was barked out, sharp as a whip, and about as loud. It wasn't angry or frustrated, though...but it was laden with gravitas, and an aura of command. It was spoken as if who's said it was quite used to having their directions followed crisply, attentively, and accurately.
And, they were.
Chest surging out, and backward again from the heavy breathing that exertion brought on, blinking away rivulets of sweat-drops that were running down her forehead, and fighting mightily against the deeply-set ache that had taken hold of her entire body...there was still nothing that Mazik Juikara could do except for do as her coach had said.
Switch. Switch with her partner, and continue..
Continue.
The aches, and the pains, and the need to have some water-cold-water- were all so strong, and they were screaming at her to stop. Have a rest, at least for a bit, and right now. But...the rest of her- the competitive, driven side- would not allow it. It wouldn't let her slow down, let alone stop...until the moment was right.
And it wasn't right, till Coach DeChant said so. Former Alliance Marines, directly descended from the original South African Defense Force ( SADF ), he was one of the best trainers around- decisive, knowledgeable, and motivated. He ran them all ragged, sure...but not without reason.
Or respite. It would come, sure enough..
...after, one more switch.
Just one more...
"...hh..hhh...hh..."
Mazik reached a hand out, and flicked away a few salty drops clinging above her eyes. The burning of her chest had not subsided, but she could not worry about that now.
Not yet.
Rather than do that, she loosened both arms, shaking them out, and then nodded toward her sparring partner.
Across from her, the other girl- shorter ( 5 foot 8 ), and built a tad thinner- nodded, and began moving forward. She was also clearly running on the tail end of endurance, with plenty of sweat and panting of her own, along with the shaking of shoulders and the clenching of fists that were the sign of a body fueled by nothing but adrenaline , and willpower.
Nobody was spent, but they needed a rest. But, they had to push through to get it.
Pushing. Through.
They closed on each other, then went right by. That was " The Switch "- each of them would now fight someone else...who had also fought someone else. Every fighter rotated, switching opponents on the regular. They all had different styles, and as they were thrown against each other...their skills would be forced to sharpen. The ones that need to be, at least, which left them more well rounded than before. More complete than before, and tougher as well.
It was going to be a grueling road to get there , though.
But, that's what they had all signed on for. It was what they were suited for, and built for.
Its why they were here.
As the sound of footfalls against the training mat continued, from the other fighters altering position, Mazik did the same. She reached the opposite side, covered from corner to corner by a 10 foot tall mirror-shielded, obviously, so it wouldn't crumble if someone got slammed against it.
It offered her a perfect view of herself as she did, perfectly highlighting what over a year of practicing MMA had done to her- or, rather, what it'd done for her.
It'd made her fit, was what it'd done. Both her shoulders , equally, had gotten rather sculpted and rounded from countless pad punching- and actual fight punching , as well. Her arms had both gotten thicker, though, thankfully not bulging out with a masculine way. She had a set of clearly defined abs as well- not every last one jutting out, but enough show some serious core strength was there. Finally, her thighs pretty much filled her shorts- there really wasn't much room around them, to be perfectly honest...
...aside from, most visibly of all, how all that muscle was wrapped around a body frame that could best be called...stocky. Or...maybe plus sized. Probably could also be called "thicc ", if you were feeling casual about it. Point was...she wasn't some slender, Victoria's Secret swimsuit model with an ideal hourglass figure- not at all. She was built, she had mass, and she had muscle.
That kind of rock-solidness came with its own set of issues, though. Ones that were completely on the other side of the coin than appearances...
...but that would have to wait.
Because...now..
..She would fight.
Spreading the soles of both feet out, just a tad each way, Mazik stabilized herself, and shook her storm arms out again, as her opponent- the new one, that is- did the same opposite her.
You ready, Hannah ?
Better be.
Yes...Hannah Juveyk.
Shorter, and not as big ( as the vast majority of girls were ), though certainly no shrimp either. She kinda looked more like a track and field star than a fighter, and was actually the shortest girl here ( just 5'6 ), but that she was here at all spoke volumes about her grit. As that alone wasn't enough, she was actually outright...eager ,to scrap with someone as big as Juikara- she had said so herself ! Coach's orders or not, she was always ready and driven for this kind of fight.
Always. Her determined expression- narrowed eyes, clenched jaw- alone said pretty much the whole story on its own.
Mazik had become familiar with that look- it was the one that greeted her every day, when she saw that mirror. It was what made her God-blessed talent and ability actually matter...
The predatory mindset. The champion-chasing mindset. It's what counted when nothing else did...and it could the one thing that could snatch victory from defeat. It was something they both had. Mazik could practically taste it: that hunger, that drive...that motivation. The ones who really wanted to win- like her- had that going for them.
And it was something their coach looked for, demanded, and did his best to fill them with. There he was now, moving among the newly rearranged pairs of fighters, checking that everyone was where they should be, and all with subtle nods that they were thinking with their heads thinking toward the game.
He knew they were ready. As he came past Mazik and Hannah-, near the end of the room furthest from the main doors,the tall, burly man nodded again.
That's right...
That's right- we're locked and loaded.
Just turn us loose...
"...Regso. Berei jouself voor. Standpute...( Alright. Brace yourselves. Stances ) ! "
On command, everybody did exactly that.
Mazik pressed her lips together, and leaned forward. Weight- all 150 pounds of her- pressed down on the front of her right foot, and through the heel of her left. Her fists rose, with the left slightly behind the right. She didn't move, or bounce, or flinch- but conserved her energy. It would save her...even if she only had a few drops left.
She knew that, as one of the first lessons of her MMA days. More often than once...
...it was mind over matter that won the day.
" ...Veg ( fight ) ! ", he ordered.
Barely had the command been spoken, than Mazik surged forward- and Hannah mirrored that action. The other girl , at once, began to circle left, so Mazik went right. They swirled around each other from the jump, fists raised, and leaning toward the center of their encounter.
This was the feeling-out portion of the battle. The first opening, gunnning moment of it all, when both fighters , no matter how well they knew each other, were waiting to find out what would come their way. At least, at first...because they could not wait for long.
Sooner or later, one of them would have to pull a trick/technique from their respective arsenal, and take the offensive if the other one wouldn't. Or, though...they could wait a tad longer, and let the other strike first...only for the striker to have left an opening that could be exploited.
Either had been used by both sheilas , and it was a coin toss for each one whenever they fought, who would use what first.
And, soon enough...
" Hyah..! "
Hannah. Her left, lashed out..
...but, Mazik slipped it. It'd been a good punch, for sure- quick, and powerful. But, just not quite fast enough...
It brushed an ear, but there had been no damage. Even better, Hannah was off balance now- too much weight forward of her center of gravity. A golden opportunity...!
Mazik grabbed it.
Shifting her own weight onto her left foot, and pivoting off her right, she twisted her whole torso for a counterblow with her right fist. She hit from the shoulder, aiming for Hannah's solar plexus.
But...the other girl wasn't a sloppy fighter- just overeager every now and then. As the fist rocketed forward, she managed to spot it coming, and dropped her left arm, clamped tight as a V shape. It tanked the impact...but not all of it. Not quite. Mazik was taller, heavier, and stronger than most girls of her province, and she could pack some serious power per blow. Her hit, blocked though it may have been, still elicited a " Umph ! " from Hannah, as she recoiled from the hefty kinetic energy.
" Gooie..een ( Good one ) ! ", she granted. A slight smile formed by her lips.
" ..Praat minder. Veg Meer ( Talk less. Fight more.) .. ", Mazik responded.
She threw another right, then a left. Hannah successfully blocked both, but the superior strength of Mazik's arms left the shorter, more slightly built girl staggered from each one. She eventually retaliated with a knee attack, but keeping with the spirit of blocks getting thrown here...Mazik stopped that one as well.
Tired of getting beat on, Hannah abruptly switched to the " Out of the Blue " approach, and launched a spinning back fist. Again though...it was too slow; Mazik's left arm rose, and stopped it. It still hurt, though, but not enough to matter.
But, there was more...
With perfect fluidity, Hannah launched herself, and went- quite boldly- for a takedown ! She actually made it, as well- wrapping both arms around her opponent , and pushing off hard with both legs while fighting to hook one around Mazik's left to bring her down. It was a hard charge as well, as Mazik could feel it through her heels, dragging hard against the floor's soft-form foam surface.
But, that quickly proved to be a losing prospect. Few girls here could capably grapple with Mazik, whether they wanted to or not- and for good reason. She was naturally built , well-fed, and knew how to plant herself. Those alone would've made a takedown hard, but that Mazik knew she had the best takedown game around here just made that even more so. She utilized those skills at once, with her left leg bracing outwards, and her right bending as she drove her right arm down through the impossibly narrow gap between Hannah and her right side.
Her left, meanwhile, hammered away at Hannah's head- though, she was careful to avoid the back of it. That was an illegal hit, and that was the last thing she needed now- or ever. She was careful, though, and hit again and again. Shockwaves raced along the length of her arm, from wrist to elbow, as she pummeled away at her would-be attacker.
Credit where was due, though, Hannah survived- for now. Grunts of pain aside, she was stubborn-ing her way through it, and still mightily manhandling Mazik around as the latter fought back with both of her powerful legs. Both were exerting themselves here, and it seemed they might get stuck this way for a while...
...except, then they didn't.
Hannah provided the out. Well, not the way she probably wanted it to go, though- she stood. Still maintaining the clinch, she stood...and Mazik immediately threw a right elbow. She had to soak a knee hit to do it, but her abs withstood it.
The same couldn't be said for Hannah, though. Mazik's fist cracked her across the cheekbone with a spray of sweatdrops, and as she reeled back, blood began to weep from the fresh wound, like a trickle of cranberry juice.
" Hrrfff...uh ! ", grunted the bleeding Hannah. The shot had rocked her, grazing the edge of her training helmet, and rattled her deep.
But, she was not spent. Not yet.
Impressive..!
Yet...it'd also left her fatally open. Fatally.
Mazik had built some momentum now, and she was unable to stop running with it. Capitalizing on it, she struck again with a high left kick. It thumped home, slamming against Hannah's side. Immediately, she drove home a salvo of blows downstairs, drilling the other girl's torso with a rapid one-two punch combo...
Hannah jacknifed a bit, though she did not fall. It proved not to matter, though, because Mazik charged then- and brought her down anyway.
Her superior weight and mass were too much to overcome at such close range with this much speed built behind them, and Hannah went down hard. Landing on her back, she soon found herself under the gun for real, as Mazik scrambled for a dominant top position.
Even here, though, at the 11th hour, the gutsy Hannah didn't abandon the fight. Even as Mazik rained down the elbow strikes...she bucked and twisted beneath, fighting furiously to gain some leverage so she might get back to her feet.
She was going 100 percent for it, no doubt- Mazik found herself automatically applying more and more power to compensate. Biting her lower lip, she pressed her attack, driving her opponent down through the mat.
Any second now...any second now, Hannah would have to give. Mazik was sure of it. The adrenaline was pulsing furiously, and the outside world had greyed out under its thunderous effects. They were, both of them, fully committed, and there was only one way out now:
Victory.
Victory, by any means.
Mazik could nearly taste it...for real.
It was so close. Either Hannah would surrender, or-
"..Mazik ! Hannah ! "
" Dis al ! Mazik wen ( That's all ! Mazik wins ) ! "
"...Nou weet..ek hoekom hulle jou "Mukwa " noem...( Now...I know why they call you " Mukwa " "...
Sitting with her back against the gym's wall, Hannah finished long swig of chilled water, before offering her undeniably sincere observation.
" Ek het, nie met jou geworstel nie...( Hadn't grappled with you...)..", she added.
Shrugging, with her sports towel draped around her shoulders, Mazik sipped from her own water, before remarking , " Jy tref egter redelik goed ( Your striking was pretty good though...) ".
She grinned, still riding that adrenaline wave.
