Station Phoenix

Remove all ads!

"Sir, whe lost another one. There are only 6 of the 20 victems left now." "I did test with blood and skin but I can't find a cure, I can't even find out how the virus works!"

"I was also wondering, is the creature still on the base? I can't really remember what happend after he broke free."

Then she looked at her "captain" waiting for a reply

 

Josef went through a checklist, mentally ticking off all the equipment as he placed them in his pack. With that done, he made sure the med-pack for his team was fully stocked and safely tucked away in his webbing. He had learned a long time ago that the med-pack was needed above all else - including supplies and ammo.

"Team 2, I want to check your packs in two minutes - make sure you have everything you need before that. Hiede, stow the rest of the gear in the dropship after your pack is prepared."

 

Jones looked about the near empty docking bay as his seven marines busied themselves, preparing for the worst. The bay was packed full of ships, big and small, business and military. However, the marines’ ship was docked on the far side of the bay, hardly in sight due to the giant room’s incredible length.

A Series 29 Military Drop-ship, also known as the ‘Eagle’. It was compact, fast and furious. It was quite skinny and long, maybe only three meters wide and ten long, and had small wings on either side which had small thrusters attached to them. Below the ship were two missiles. Each had enough firepower to destroy a two hectare cubed area. They were ‘The Bomb’.

Kieren, finished his check of his assault rifle and pistols, decided it was time for his ‘speech’. He walked over to Josef who was issuing commands, as always.

“Arca, a word, please?”

***************************************************************

James Corran leaned back in his chair, trying not to look too surprised.

“Six of twenty? S***. And no breakthroughs.” He sighed.

“Well, I suppose I had better see this for myself. Shall we?” With that, the professor stood and made his way to the door, sure that Floor was following.

They made their way down the corridors of metal and steel. It was like an artificial world with no windows anywhere.

“So you’re a bit hazy, huh? I don’t blame you, Floor. The last few days, even weeks, have been catastrophic for us all. Well, as far as I can recall, the ‘UWO’ has been running around this bleeping station for some time now. He has not left.” Pausing, the professor smiled at his joke. UWO was what he called the creature, standing for Unidentified Walking Object.

“We haven’t been able to get the little bugger just yet, but we’re still on it. That reminds me, I need to get someone…” The old man trailed off.

“Floor, I was wondering if you could collect someone for me. He should be in the Electronics Block down near the Kitchens. Tell him to meet me in the labs. His name, is Anthony. Anthony Easton.”

 

Link grabbed a ready made, basic equipment pack, it had food water sleepng equipment, fire equipment and med-packs. It took a radio and shoved it in a side pocket, the long aerial bending over the top of the bag. He holstered a second pistol on the other side and strapped an assault rifle to it. That done, he slung the bag onto his shoulders, adjusting the straps to fit, he took up his sniper, fiddling with the scope absentmindedly eh stood at ease in front of Kieran.

 

Josef finished checking the buckles on his pack and walked over to Kieran, "Yes, sir?"

 

"I was afraid you where gonna say that." Floor replied. "I think it was only false hope for me to think that that beast had left!".

"Anthony? Did I ever met him?" "Well I shall look for him. and update my account afterwards!" Then she walks in the direction of the kitchen.

 

Tomas buckled on his LBE, attaching a holstered pistol to the web belt and a combat knife to one of the shoulder straps. Extra pistol magazines went into his ammo pouches, along with a packet of dried beef and several energy bars. A full canteen also hung on his web belt, with another in his rucksack. Also in the ruck were his chemical gear, another uniform, rain gear, water purification kit, a spare battery for the team radio, and a toolkit for his autocannon. He stowed it in the rack next to his M-241.

He walked out of the dropship and past Percov, clapping the demo man on the shoulder. "Just a walk in the park, Yuri," he said with a smile.

Tomas then sought out Hiede. "How's it going, troop?" He did a quick visual check of the young Marine's equipment and nodded in approval. "Nothing to worry about, young warrior," he smiled. "The captain and the el-tee, they're good people. The rest of the team, too. Wouldn't want anyone else alongside me when it drops in the pot.

"Just remember the training--stay low, move fast, fire in short, controlled bursts--and you'll do OK, Marine." Pep-talk finished, Tomas began to help the youngster load up the dropship.

 

Kieren adjusted his helmet. He looked up into the soldier’s eyes.

“Josef. I wanted to tell you something. It’s just, this mission is going to be…” The captain paused.

“I know something that you ought to know about this…” The man stopped speaking again, this time cut off by a background voice. It was the dropship’s captain, Gerald.

“You fighting machines, get your asses on this baby and we can get the hell down there!” He yelled out form the cockpit.

“We’ll talk, don’t you worry.” Jones said to Josef, then walked towards the ship briskly.

“All right, you little bastards. On board before I kick you on!” The captain watched as the soldiers climbed up the ship’s ramp and into the small chamber at the rear of the transport. The room was long and had ten seats, more than enough for the small team, on each wall.

Now, with the marine’s seated, the captain didn’t bother sitting and grabbed the hand rails attached to the roof.

“Get us down there, Gerald!” he yelled into the cockpit.

“Like hell, captain! Like hell!” And they were off. As it’s name suggests, the ship was good at dropping. The hatch beneath the ship opened slowly and it was lowered into a small air-proof chamber. There the hunk of flying metal waited until the roof closed again. The floor began to open, this time showing the outside darkness of space with a glow of the planet in the distance.

“Down we go!” the captain yelled, and with the words the dropship dropped.

 

Percov was sitting tight in his chair, with his seatbelt on, while the ship droped in to the "far black yonder" as Yuri liked to call space.

As he strenghtened his grip on his XF2-30B Flamethrower he said:

"Hahah! I can't wait to blow up some... some... Anything!"

Percov definetly wasn't the sanest man on the ship. He liked to see things burn, but not his teammates.

 

Anthony quickly pressed the button to turn off the monitor when he heard the knock upon the door. He spun around in his chair and called out. "Yes? Who is it?"

 

After hearing Percov's comments about things burning, Julius decided the man was nuts. Then again Julius thought everybody was slightly nuts. Especially anyone who would go down to a planet in a fast dropping metal "brick".

He fingered his assault rifle with anticipation. He checked his pockets for the ammo mags he stuffed there. Then made sure his knife was well hiden in his boot, that the water cantine he shoved in his backpack was still there, along with the food, binocs, chemical and rain gear. Everything was still there.

Having nothing else to do Julius made sure his pistol was fully loaded. Of course it was, he had checked it only four minutes ago.

Satisfied that he was ready Julius looked around him. He decided that he was proud to be among these men.

Then he checked his belt for the frag grenades he had hung on it. They were there of course.

 

After the initial gut-wrenching shock of dropship release, Tomas leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. Time for a quick nap before planetfall.


*OOC: He'll wake up if either of the officers have anything to tell the squad.*

 

Link cocked his sniper against his shoulder, aiming at the ground he checked the scope's zoom, it looked fine, it lent it against the wall next to him. Link watched Julius look at Percov, he knew what he was worried about, chuckling, he put his earphones in, the music blasting into his ears, sighing, he lent back. This is where he belonged, he was a trigger happy trooper with no remorse, this was his family and his job, he loved it.

 

James Corran watched Floor leave. Then he continued down the passageways. Empty passageways. No one was about. Of course, out of twenty infected people, fourteen had died. Then there were six other civilians on the base. James, Floor, Anthony and three others. All security on the base were among the dead.

After another few minutes the corridor led to a single doorway, marked LABS. Using his ID card, the one required for any PRIVATE sections of the base, James entered as the doors opened to the side. Inside was an awful sight. Two men and a woman were rushing around, tending to the six remaining sick people. On the opposite side of the room was a pile of bodybags. Awful.

James sighed. It wasn’t going to end.

The wounded people were all asleep. Boils covered their faces and their eyes were puffy. Bucket’s filled with vomit were beside each bed. Awful.

 

Josef sat in his seat silently. He was often like that - a man of his own thoughts. He was thinking now of very little, just listening to the rumbling of the dropship and feeling somewhat relaxed by it's noise.

He was in his element now - the mission had started and there was a job to be done. He felt a twinge of excitement as the dropship picked up speed. "Prepare for entry!" Josef shouted as the dropship's temperature began to increase dramatically. A bead of sweat rolled down Josef's head and he held onto the handle on his seat for the landing that would come in just a few moments.

 

Percov couldn't wait for the ship to land. He leaned forward and tapped Link on the shoulder:

"What are you listening to? Guns 'n' Aliens?

Link didn't respond.

"Come on, man... I was kiding!"

 

Link ignored Percov at first, altough he would give his life for anyone in the squad(so he thought),including Percov, he had never really liked him as much as everyone else. He decided to be nice, "listening to..." he was cut off, the dropship had just rocked violently. 'must be landing' he thought.

 

"Prepare for entry!"

The dropship shuddered as it entered atmosphere, and Tomas' eyes snapped open at the sound of Arca's voice. The air in the crowded compartment began to get warmer--the enviro system was never quite able to keep pace as the dropship's outer hull heated up. Looking around , Tomas noted the varied expressions on the faces of his fellow marines. "Just a walk in the park, gentlemen," he called out. "First round's on me when we get back to the ship!"

He then looked over at Heide. "Smile, snake. We'll tell your girl you were brave..."

 

Kieren clenched his teeth as the pressure in the ship built and the temperature rose. It doubled. Sweat covered his face, running through his hair and down over his forehead. Helmet in hands, the captain continued smoking his cigar.

And then it was silent. It was cool again. The only sound was the blaring music coming from Link’s headset.

They had entered the planet’s atmosphere. It had begun.

“Captain. Almost at the landing pads. Proceed?” Gerald called from the driver’s seat.
The captain nodded.
“Alrighty, then. We’re here and ready. Everyone! I want a smooth procedure. Josef. To the north of where we’re landin’, there’s a main entrance to the complex. Move your team in with our coverage. Once the area is done, we enter and I’ll pull up to your fellows. Understood?”

Finished giving commands, the captain walked over to where the ramp would open. And with a small bump and a little ‘clank’, the ship stopped. They had landed.

***************************************************************

Inside the station, a loud roaring sounded all around.

A ship. James looked at the door to the lab, as if expecting to see rescuers enter instantly. Was the nightmare over?

 

Almost before the dropship touched down, Tomas stood, taking his M-241 out of its storage rack. The weapon was already attached to the high-mobility harness that he wore, and Tomas held it vertically, close to his body as he waited for those in front of him to disembark.

"What the **** is he listening to?" he mused, hearing the music coming from Link's headphones.