UNSC Leatherneck
Well-Known Member
The ODST armory on the frigate UNSC Orinoco was a beehive of activity with marines donning Body Suits. Marine armorers assisted each trooper with the suits as systems were checked and rechecked. In the Drop Bays, navy and marine technicians prepared the Human Entry Vehicles for the drop. Sergeant First Class Chris Taylor stepped up in front of the assembled platoon. Armor was donned and helmets were sitting next to the men. Alpha Company, First Platoon was ready for embarkation. "Listen up," Taylor barked. "You've all been through the briefing, but I'll go over it again for the slower ones. Today's drop will be a company drop, vee formation. We'll be securing an LZ for follow on landings by dropship. We are expecting rebel resistance, so stay sharp. Watch your fields of fire. Muster in the Drop Bay in five." Taylor stepped back as his men prepared for the drop. These were his boys. Most of them were veterans with dozens of drops to their credit, but a few of them were rookies. Replacements. Men straight out of ODST school and no combat drops. Several of the men in this space would not return alive. That was the nature of their job. Over in the corner Petty Officer Wallace looked over his gear. He was the platoon's corpsman. He may have been Navy, but the men of First Platoon respected him. Anyone who could get through the ODST school earned the respect of the troopers.
As the scene in 1st Platoon's armory was repeated in identical armories for 2nd and 3rd Platoons, Captain Jean LeBlanc, Alpha Company Commander, met with his platoon commanders in the drop bay. "Gentlemen, remember our objectives. Neutralize rebel resistance, secure an LZ , hold ground. The faction we're up against is believed to have anti-air weapons, so we need to eliminate that threat. The latest intel indicates we're to expect one , possibly two battalions of resistance. Stay sharp. And keep an eye on the replacements. We've got a lot of guys who haven't made a combat drop. Let's do this."ODST's filed through the airlocks and lined up in front of their respective HEV's . The ship's PA sent all personnel to Drop Stations. The First Sergeant ordered the Company to attention. Capt. Leblanc addressed the men, "Today we go to fight those who would see the colonies descend into anarchy. We will not let that happen. You have all been briefed on our mission today. Remember your training, watch each other's backs, and do your jobs." He nodded to the First Sergeant, who barked the order to man drop stations.
Up and down the drop bay, ODST's climbed into their HEV's , assisted by navy techs. Sgt. Taylor climbed into his pod. The navy tech helping him strap in was a cute little brunette. "How 'bout a kiss for luck?" he asked. She smiled and shook her head.
"I don't think so, sergeant."
He gave her a disappointed look that turned to surprise as she tightened the straps down as tight as they would go. "Damn, any tighter and I won't behavin' kids any time soon!" He said with a grunt as he put his helmet on.
"I cringe at the thought," she replied. Hooking up hoses and wires. "Is your air good?"
Taylor gave her a thumbs up.She nodded and finished the closeout. As she closed the hatch she winked and blew him a kiss. He smiled inside his helmet as he checked the HEV's systems. The screen in front of him showed a countdown timer, stopped now. That was the time to drop. He tried to relax. In the drop bay the navy personnel secured all loose objects, made one last check of the systems, then retreated to the safety of the airlock. The drop bay would be depressurised prior to the drop, as the shafts the HEV's traveled down would be opened to space. The drop systems division officer called the bridge, "Bridge, this is Aft Drop Bay. All stations manned and ready for drop. Airlocks secured, bay clear."
"Roger, all stations ready for drop." Then, over the PA, "All hands, standby for braking. Brace! Brace! Brace!" The alarm sounded and the occupants of the ship were slammed into their seats and against bulkheads. The Orinoco fired her engines to align her orbit for the drop. If the ship's AI got it right, and it usually did, the HEV's would land within meters of their objective. In the drop bay, Taylor gritted is teeth as he was shoved against his harness. He would have bruises from this one. He always did. In front of him, the timer began counting down. As the timer counted to zero, four tones timed the drop. After the fourth, higher pitched tone, there was a bang above him and his vision went red as his pod was ejected from the ship. Below him, the company commander, first sergeant, and first platoon commander had dropped moments before him. The gees lessened and he became weightless. Five hundred kilometers up, the battle had begun.
As the scene in 1st Platoon's armory was repeated in identical armories for 2nd and 3rd Platoons, Captain Jean LeBlanc, Alpha Company Commander, met with his platoon commanders in the drop bay. "Gentlemen, remember our objectives. Neutralize rebel resistance, secure an LZ , hold ground. The faction we're up against is believed to have anti-air weapons, so we need to eliminate that threat. The latest intel indicates we're to expect one , possibly two battalions of resistance. Stay sharp. And keep an eye on the replacements. We've got a lot of guys who haven't made a combat drop. Let's do this."ODST's filed through the airlocks and lined up in front of their respective HEV's . The ship's PA sent all personnel to Drop Stations. The First Sergeant ordered the Company to attention. Capt. Leblanc addressed the men, "Today we go to fight those who would see the colonies descend into anarchy. We will not let that happen. You have all been briefed on our mission today. Remember your training, watch each other's backs, and do your jobs." He nodded to the First Sergeant, who barked the order to man drop stations.
Up and down the drop bay, ODST's climbed into their HEV's , assisted by navy techs. Sgt. Taylor climbed into his pod. The navy tech helping him strap in was a cute little brunette. "How 'bout a kiss for luck?" he asked. She smiled and shook her head.
"I don't think so, sergeant."
He gave her a disappointed look that turned to surprise as she tightened the straps down as tight as they would go. "Damn, any tighter and I won't behavin' kids any time soon!" He said with a grunt as he put his helmet on.
"I cringe at the thought," she replied. Hooking up hoses and wires. "Is your air good?"
Taylor gave her a thumbs up.She nodded and finished the closeout. As she closed the hatch she winked and blew him a kiss. He smiled inside his helmet as he checked the HEV's systems. The screen in front of him showed a countdown timer, stopped now. That was the time to drop. He tried to relax. In the drop bay the navy personnel secured all loose objects, made one last check of the systems, then retreated to the safety of the airlock. The drop bay would be depressurised prior to the drop, as the shafts the HEV's traveled down would be opened to space. The drop systems division officer called the bridge, "Bridge, this is Aft Drop Bay. All stations manned and ready for drop. Airlocks secured, bay clear."
"Roger, all stations ready for drop." Then, over the PA, "All hands, standby for braking. Brace! Brace! Brace!" The alarm sounded and the occupants of the ship were slammed into their seats and against bulkheads. The Orinoco fired her engines to align her orbit for the drop. If the ship's AI got it right, and it usually did, the HEV's would land within meters of their objective. In the drop bay, Taylor gritted is teeth as he was shoved against his harness. He would have bruises from this one. He always did. In front of him, the timer began counting down. As the timer counted to zero, four tones timed the drop. After the fourth, higher pitched tone, there was a bang above him and his vision went red as his pod was ejected from the ship. Below him, the company commander, first sergeant, and first platoon commander had dropped moments before him. The gees lessened and he became weightless. Five hundred kilometers up, the battle had begun.