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Operation One: Basic
Posted By: Matt Anderson<Raptorv22@hotmail.com>
Date: 11 March 2003, 3:05 AM
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MARINES
Earth was disadvantaged before we even started. The Covie ships- that even now are in orbit- jumped out of subspace and annihilated a third of our docked fleet. Some called it the third pearl harbor. The soldiers called it a massacre. We still don't know what tipped them off, how they found the homeworld. Most of us think it was that meddling AI Guilty Spark. It doesn't matter, anyways. it's a miracle we've survived this long. We're actually winning now. Don't get me wrong- god knows we've had casualties. But us, we were the lucky ones. We're Charlie company.
Operation One: Basic
Week 8
"Jim...Where are they?"
It was week eight of basic training. One week to go 'till they made it into the core. It was Charlie companies last trial: Survival. The exercise put them in a combat scenario. They were being hunted by experienced marines, using paint ammo. But it was enough to make each one nervous. They we're currently laying down in the mud of a dried stream bed. The thick forest made it near impossible to see. The Major of Alpha platoon, Jim Morris, huddled against the bed wall, leaning against a tree root. The map he was sweating over made no sense.
"I.. I dunno.. This doesn't make sense. At all. This stream bed shouldn't be here..." his voice trailed off. And he sunk into the dirt. Nothing seemed to make sense. His XO, Ryan Patterson, was not too far away, and stared thoughtfully at a tree.
"Sir... Doesn't.. Doesn't moss grow facing north?"
Jim continued to stare at the map. "Yeah. What of it?"
Ryan picked up the compass, and pointed to his forward left. "Moss is growing that way. Compass," he pointed to his right, "Says north is that way. We're way off course." he tossed down t he compass. Neither of them picked it up.
Jim sighed. "Right.. Figures. We'll rest here for the night. We move out 0400, I don't know where the GIs are." he turned, looked down the ravine towards the rest of Charlie company. "Recruits! We rest here for the night. We move at 0400, I want a head start on our hunters. Get some sleep." There seemed to be a simultaneous sigh of relief from the marines, and more than one grumble of thanks.
0300
Jim awoke to the sound of rustling leaves. He froze, and listened. He decided it was just the wind, or an animal. He looked behind him. His two guards had fallen asleep. They could have all been killed because of them. Something still wasn't right, he decided. He rolled over and nudged his XO in the arm. "Ryan.. Wake up. Assemble the marines, we move now."
Ryan sleepily checked his watch. "Christ, Jim, it's three, we still have an hour before-" Ryan froze, obviously alerted to something. He nodded to the Major, and crawled through the ravine, gently and quietly waking each soldier. Within 5 minutes they all stood huddled in files, ready to move out.
Jim signaled to Ryan with his hands, who in turn gestured for the marines to follow him. They all filed quietly out through the side, nervously looking around. Jim waited for half of the marines to pass, and followed at the side of them. And so they walked.
0600
Jim quietly trudged through the underbrush, watching for trouble. He motioned behind him for the marines to stop, and walked a few paces forward. He listened. He turned, satisfied, and took a step back towards the marines. A rustling in the bushes told him to stop. He turned around. Two GIs stood before him, dressed in full camouflage and paint. Out of the corner of his eye he saw three more quietly stand up. He looked over his shoulder, and saw at least 16 more surrounding his company. The leader of the group stepped forward.
"Bang. Your dead, Major." With that they slipped back into the forest, and disappeared. Jim stood in shock. The marines grumbled their displeasure. He didn't blame them.
0900
They all sat in the mess hall back at camp, eating the mush that was given the odd term breakfast. Each one of them was put out about the failure of the mission, though the commander had assured them they all preformed brilliantly under the circumstances. The cafeteria was alive with the sounds of laughter of talking, though no one was in a particularly good mood. The commander walked in and stood at the front of the room. After a moment, there was silence.
"Men, we've had an unfortunate change of plans. There has been a slight... Complication. Basic training will have to be cut short. As of today, your marines. I wish we could give you something more formal, but fleet command needs every man he can get ASAP. I don't know any more than that. We need you packed and ready to go within two hours." he turned, and left.
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