The Marines have landed and have the situation well in hand...

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hns194
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The Marines have landed and have the situation well in hand...

Post by hns194 » Thu, 23. Sep 10, 05:42

“I wasn't the brightest, but I wasn't the dumbest. I wasn't the toughest, but I wasn't the weakest. I wasn't the tallest, but I wasn't the shortest, the list goes on. Overall I was a pretty average guy back then. Before we (re)discovered Aldrin, before we knew aliens existed, before we were pushed back to Earth, before we fought our way back and took the fight to those xeno bastards. But I get ahead of myself, let me explain what the situation was like back then.

It was the best of times, and the worst of times, as the saying goes. We had cutting edge technology, but we were still in Sol. Our so-called “experienced” armed forces had only fought pirates. Well, that was the Navy's job actually. Marines like my grandfather, and soldiers like my uncle, hadn't seen much besides a couple of riots every now and then. The last major conflict involving Humanity had taken place almost 800 years before.

We had become soft in those 800 years. Sure, there was the ATF, but they were all just show, with their big fancy ships. A way for the nobles on Earth to remain clean of us “outer-system scum.” Earth had become more of a resort since the advent of Orbital Accelerators. Most of Humanity lived out in the 'roid field, or on the outer planets. Even if you could afford the trip to Earth, you still had to pass a security exam, conducted by your friendly neighborhood ATF. And ninety-eight percent of those who tried, failed.”

“How's that for an intro to your piece?” The old man questioned to the young reporter sitting across from him.

“I think it'll do quite nicely Mr. Easton.” The young reporter replied. “Lets continue, what can you tell me about boot camp...

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Post by hns194 » Thu, 23. Sep 10, 06:44

“You had three phases of training back in those days. You'd go through basic at Camp Pendelton on Earth( if you passed the security check of course ) and then on to the School of Infantry(SOI) at Parris Island, also on Earth. Basic was pretty tough, the DI's treated you like feces on the bottom of their shoe. But I got used to it after a while. SOI was about half as hard as basic, the DI's treated you just a bit better since we were technically Marines after basic.”

“Those of us who got slated for the fleet were slipped a sedative on our last day of SOI. Then they loaded us up into a gel capsule(a sleeping pod filled with a breathable jello substance, complete with green food coloring, that absorbs concussions,g-forces and such) wrapped all our pods into a container with insulated tin foil,(to absorb sunlight) and shot us out of a mass driver into Mars orbit.”

“That is positively brutal!” Exclaimed the reporter.

“Ha, kid that wasn't brutal, we were asleep the whole time. Now when they shot us through the atmosphere at Centax III, that was a fun ride. AA fire comin' up to meet you...I'm sorry, I'm straying from our topic.” Replied the old man.

“Mars was just basic and SOI all over again, except we were in pressure suits 99% of the time. You ever tried field stripping a 7.62mm AR-79, in a hostile enviroment reporter?

“I don't believe I have.”

“Its real fun stuff.”

“I'm sure it was.”

“After Mars they sent us to Luna. We got trained in our combat suits and zero-g.” “And after that, we thought we were done, we thought we were hot s**t. Wrong. They liked to pull one final test on you. They'd throw you on a transport and say we're going to the graduation ceremony, and then the transport would pick up a distress call from a TL or a Destroyer. They'd tell us to gear up, and then throw us out the airlock at the damn thing. Those who played by the book got to graduate. Those who went seeking glory got sent to the MP divisions. Those who didn't follow orders got booted out.”

“Thats quite an insight Mr. Easton. Now tell me about your first deployment...

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Post by travisdh1 » Thu, 23. Sep 10, 21:02

more more, faster faster cry the masses (consisting of me myself and I so far)

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Post by SpitfireJB » Fri, 24. Sep 10, 00:09

Ok intriged want, scatch that, NEED more keep it up
Error, no keyboard. Press F1 to continue.

"A young man who does not have what it takes to perform military service is not likely to have what it takes to make a living. Today's military rejects include tomorrow's hard-core unemployed." J. F. Kennedy

hns194
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Post by hns194 » Fri, 24. Sep 10, 07:01

“First deployment huh? Haha, now that's a good memory. I was assigned to a rapid respone corvette, a Katana to be specific, the USC-Charleston. How that damn thing got marked spaceworthy is beyond me. She may have been pretty and perfect teeth white on the outside, but inside, well...we would've been better off sharing a barn with a couple of steers. But by-god she didn't look it, she was a tough old gal. A torpedo took out two of our engines, damn pirates, we sure as hell felt the impact, but a torpedo should of blown the whole damn ship up, yet here I am. You know how far those other two engines took us reporter?”

“All the way to the scene of the crash.” The reporter replied with a grin, thinking he'd finally got one up on the old man.

“Hell no, nice try though, took us all the way to a nearby military base. Where, as luck would have it, a Tyr had just undocked, I believe it was the Arizona. The Arizona was damn fine ship, right up until her death at Centauri V. But I'm getting off topic again. We did a little space jump over to her, pointed her in the right direction and she took off like a bird dog. You know what one broadside from a Tyr equals?

“Nope.”

“One. Dead. Pirate infested. Asteroid.”

“You really hate pirates huh?”

“Not as much as I hate Paranid, three eyed bastards forcing their dumbs**t religion on everybody.”

“Lets skip ahead, tell me about first contact with the commonwealth...

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Post by MarineMan » Sat, 25. Sep 10, 02:38

Yes continue!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, imagining i've lived my life and done nothing ~ George S. Patton

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Post by imperium3 » Sat, 25. Sep 10, 03:58

This is awesome. More, more!!!

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Post by hns194 » Sat, 25. Sep 10, 20:15

“It was a shock. Humanity had never known anybody but itself, and of course the Terraformers. It was joyous, like that feeling I got on my birthday when I was little. Like nothing could bring us down. That feeling lasted for a while.” The old man looked down at the ground solemnly. “And then the hammer fell.” A tear streaked down his face. “They hit us at Saturn. In the middle of fleet week.”

“Who attacked?” The young reporter asked, knowing the answer but asking anyway, since this was for educational purposes.

“The Paranid, their seers deemed our destruction was the will of the gods, and so it was...

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Post by hns194 » Sat, 25. Sep 10, 21:42

“Morning Boss.” I yell at Sergeant Franklin as I jog through the halls of the Saturn Logistics Station. The whole regiment has been grounded to this station for little over a month. Not that we minded. We would've never been able to get away with napping while gaurding back on the Ishtara. The USC/TC-Ishtara is an Atmo Lifter that brought us out here from martian orbit. Scuttlebutt is we're stepping off for Commonwealth space as soon they find us a ship.

“Briefing 0930, Conference room A.” He yells back. I give a quick two finger salute in affirmation as I jog past. Today was definitely going to be a good day. A briefing meant orders, orders meant deployment, deployment meant getting off this oversized supply closet. The question was, which ship were they getting billeted to? If they were lucky, they'd get a fleet carrier or a hospital ship. Those navy nurses sure could make a man stand at attention, if you get my drift.

I was taking a much needed piss when something, must have collided with the station. I lost my footing and fell to the ground. Klaxons started wailing, the pounding of feet reverberated through the station as Marines and Sailor hauled a** to battle stations. Battle stations on a Logistics dock didn't mean much besides grab your gun and haul your butt to the nearest airlock.

“Prepare to repel boarders.” Came through the intercom.

“Easton! Stow your shit and grab your gun, we'll be at delta-tango 223!” Sergeant Franklin's voice came from above as I lay on the bathroom floor. Delta Tango = Docking Tube, what were we doing gaurding a docking tube? I pondered this as I rose from the floor and stowed my johnson away.

I drew my sidearm, made sure it was ready to fire and rushed down to the armory. Guess I was late to the party, not much left besides a couple of AR-70s. I quickly grabbed one and slid a underslung shotty on the rail and a bayonet for any CQC action...

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Post by hns194 » Sun, 3. Oct 10, 22:50

“Gravidar reads a Paranid frigate moving to dock, all stations, prepare to repel boarders.” The simple text message flashed across my retina as I moved down the corridor to join up with the rest of my squad.

Through the viewports I could see flashes throughout the sector. A bright nova burned into my vision as a vessel detonated. Through the viewports in the ceiling I witnessed the bulk of a Nagoya class battleship pass overhead. Missiles spewing like water from the blowhole of a ancient whale.

Shots rang out farther down the corridor, a bright flash pierced my vision, the corridor was torn away and I was in freefall. Luckily our armor is rated to survive vacuum. Only for a short while though. I was out of the fight, tumbling through the void. I watched as a Saitama class fleet carrier was torpedoed amidships. Bodies spewed forth from the gaping wound in its hull. Several kilometers away the logistics station erupted in flames, a lone deimos speeds away from it towards a nearby zeus.

The sector fleet held for another hour before they were overwhelmed. The Paranid fleet jumped away as the last Terran frigate burned. The shipyards were torn in half, everything was burning, the whole sector was aflame. My last image was of an Odin emerging from the southern accelerator. As I gazed upon its gleaming hull I slipped into the blissful ignorance of unconsciousness...

TDKPS
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Post by TDKPS » Mon, 4. Oct 10, 03:06

Keep going. Excellent FF.

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Post by hns194 » Tue, 5. Oct 10, 04:24

“Mr. Easton? Are you still with me?” The old man was mumbling and tears were streaming down his face at the same time. The old veteran recovered sometime later, and they continued with the interview. “How did you feel after you recovered? Did any of your unit make it off the station?”

“Nobody from my unit made it, most of the station's crew did though. How did I feel?”

“Yes, thats the question.” A angry look came over the veteran's face as the reporter made his statement.

“How do you think I felt! I felt like a coward, I let my Corps down, I let everybody that could call themselves a Marine down.”

“It wasn't your fault though Mr. Easton, you had no idea that a gauss round would pierce the hull.”

“It was my fault reporter, I could have let that round kill me, I could have been careless and not sealed that suit.”

“Is that why you're one of the most decorated Marines in Terran history? Did you feel the need to make up for your actions at Saturn?”

“You're damn right I felt the need!”

“I think we're done for the day Mr. Easton. Nurse!...

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Post by hns194 » Wed, 23. Feb 11, 04:38

TO: TER.HIST.ARCH@USC.Mil.net

FROM: John.Marsdow@OrbHat-5/Jupiter.net

SUBJECT: Audio logs, Battle of Saturn.

CLEARANCE LVL: MARS

Clearance granted////processing////Begin playback////USC-Pacifica(BB-277)

“Undocking procedures nearing 30% completion, Captain.”

“Understood Mister Krisal, begin pre-flight checks.”

“Aye Cap'n.”

“Captain, sector security reports incoming jump signatures, they suggest we go to combat level Bravo, and prepare for emergency undocking.”

“Are all crew aboard?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Navigation, take us out. Weapons, arm missile tubes one through four. Engineering, give me full power to engines. Sensors, ETA to enemy arrival?”

“Paranid fleet is three minutes out, Captain.”
“Warm up the singularity projector, move us near the logistics station, we should blend in on a sensor screen.”

“Captain, Paranid fleet is thirty seconds out.”

“Understood Mr.Krisnal. Weapons, unlock missile safeties. Secure all bulkheads and pressure doors, confine non-essential personnel to quarters, and decompress unused compartments.”

“Captain, Paranid fleet has arrived, sector security is engaging. Paranid Deimos is on course for logistics station, looks like they aim to board.”

“Which docking point are they going for?”

“Number seventeen, near the habitation modules.”

“Understood. Weapons, deploy one volley of shadows at docking point seventeen, set to remote detonation.”

“Aye aye, Captain. Firing volley, they are in position and awaiting det command.”

“Comms, get on the horn and tell the logistics station to evacuate all personnel from the docking point. Navigation, engage strafe drive, take us up and over this module. Weapons, I want two missiles on anything bigger than a corvette.”

“Captain, enemy destroyer, off our starboard side, about five kilometers, they're firing projectile weapons, shields at 97%.”

“Weapons, starboard side, aim...fire!, aim...fire!, fire at will.”

“Captain, our shields are at 75% and dropping, enemy shields at 50%, they're changing course. They're gonna ram us!”

“We can't take a hit like that. Mr. Krisal, sound abandonment klaxon. Comms, get on the fleet freq and sound mayday, alert nearby vessels to move away atleast ten klicks. Weapons, unlock all safeties, on every missile. Engineering, divert all power to reactor two. All stations are relieved, abandon ship.”

////End Playback////

USC-Pacifica (BB-277)

Destroyed: 11-17-2939

Captain Edward Marekson recommended for Luna Shield, due to actions above and beyond the call of duty. Captain Marekson after realizing his vessel would be sunk, Captain Marekson ordered his crew to abandon ship, while he himself stayed aboard. After the Pacifica damaged by a Paranid destroyer ramming her, Captain Marekson manouvered the Pacifica near the main Paranid formation,and promptly detonated the ship's compliment of missiles, while also overloading the primary reactor. The shockwave damaged the hangar bays aboard the Paranid fleet's primary carrier, forcing it out of the engagement and also crippled several smaller ships,while vaporising any fighters near the Pacifica'shull.

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Post by TDKPS » Wed, 23. Feb 11, 20:23

Long time no post. Great chapter, I hope the updates become a tad more often :p .

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Post by Olterin » Wed, 23. Feb 11, 22:14

Only just stumbled upon this gem - would greatly enjoy reading more :)
"Do or do not, there is no try"
"My Other Overwhelming Mixed Assault Fleet is a Brigantine" -Seleucius, commenting on my ship naming scheme

hns194
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Post by hns194 » Thu, 22. Nov 12, 11:30

“After the battle?” The reporter questioned.

“I awoke in a hospital room on Luna, about a week later.” Replied Easton. “Had a fantastic view of Earthrise every time it came around. That was the only upside. A piece of debris, Terran or 'Nid, I don't know, but it breached my suit on both legs beneath the knee. Luckily, our suits had that nifty auto tourniquet system. Everything below my knees were amputated and sealed off.” Continued the aging veteran, absent mindedly massaging his left knee.

“Do you miss your calves?” Asked the reporter sincerely.

“You mean do I miss feeling like i've been shot every time I knocked them against something?” Replied Easton in a gruff manner. “Hell no, now I smash my leg on a table leg, no pun intended, I don't feel a thing, don't have to worry about stubbing a toe anymore either. It's damn near the best thing that's ever happened to me.” Said Easton with a grin on his face. “Also keeps the grandkids in line too.” Added Easton with a half smirk, and a wink to his daughter sitting in the corner.

With a slight chuckle the reported fired off another question. “How long did it take for you to recover?”

“About three months for all the medical shenannigens, and then another six months of physical therapy.” Easton answered with a small grimace at the mention of physical therapy.

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Post by hns194 » Sat, 24. Nov 12, 08:42

“So you're all healed up, have your prosthetics working well for you, where do you go next?” Summed up the reporter.

“Well, I put in my request to return to a fleet unit, particularly one headed into the Commonwealth. That was denied. The billeting board recommended I take a medical discharge, and sit it out the fight in my living room.” Easton answered dryly.

“You were not going have any of that though were you?”

“They made it sound pretty cushy, I almost took them up on it. Ultimately though, my survivor's guilt kicked in. I asked the board for a letter of recommendation to the Sato Naval Academy.” Replied Easton, casually rubbing the stubble on his wrinkled chin.

“SNA? That's the most prestigious naval academy in Terran space, even the ATF takes the officers they produce. No offense to you, Mr. Easton, but that had to be some recommendation letter they got.”

“I suspect it was mostly pity, Saturn survivors got a lot of that.”

“So Lance Corporal Easton just became, Midshipman Easton, what was your major?”

“Ship warfare, with a two sub-majors in anti-fighter/point defense, and boarding operations.”

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Post by hns194 » Mon, 18. Feb 13, 08:03

*deleted*
Last edited by hns194 on Sat, 15. Jun 13, 04:11, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by hns194 » Mon, 18. Feb 13, 08:35

The hangar bay was crowded. A kilometer of polished titanium filled with people, equipment, ships, all going someplace at once. It was like this throughout the whole complex. Armstrong Naval Hospital, the finest medical care in the Sol system. Happily located in it's rightful spot, The Sea of Tranquilty.

A distinct hunchbacked ship squatted in the distance, Personnel Shuttle Sierra-59, my ride to SNA. I expected them to send a scout fighter, or a supply ship, not a scabbard, more pity from the admiralty most likely. On the bright side, it would be a lot cushier than a cramped cockpit, or sitting on a crate. Aiming myself in the direction of the shuttle, I began my precarious waddle to the hunchback of space. I still wasn't capable of moving very efficiently with my prosthetics. Twenty minutes later, with much relief came upon the boarding ramp, in my excitement to get aboard I placed too much weight on my left foot, and began a speedy descent that would rival that of a drop pod's.

A muscular arm came out of nowhere and promptly latched itself under my outstretched left arm, and locked around my back. A calm voice entered my hearing.

“Whoa there Marine, we gotcha.”

Another muscular arm locked around me from the right, and we began to ascend the ramp.

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Post by 89James89 » Mon, 18. Feb 13, 11:17

Really immersive writing here. Very much looking forward to more.

Cheers

James

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