In the Dirt

Posted on Tue Oct 27th, 2015 @ 5:06pm by Captain Melody Windsor & Master Sergeant Daniel Browden & Lance Corporal Tyler Howard & Captain Julius Whitlam & Commander Elliot Drake & Lieutenant Commander Alexander Gunning & Staff Sergeant Sandrine White & Staff Sergeant Augustus Deakin & Corporal Michael Witzowski Jr & Corporal Valerie Parks & Ensign Gavin Alken

Mission: First Strike
Location: Planetside

Melody was holding on to the nearest support beam as the shuttle began its shaky decent into the planets atmosphere. The dropships were nowhere near as smooth a ride as the fighters providing escort were, but she'd grown used to it by his point. L. Corporal Howard had started his customary nervous laugh that always persisted until the ship leveled out, and she was waiting for Witzowski to start his usual rowdy rendition of 'The Ride of the Valkyries'

Mike took out his gum and stuck it behind his ear, then wedged his ear piece into it a little so it wouldn't slip off. As disgusting as it was- that was a tradition- as much as his riding into battle theme song performance. "Ladies and slugs: some of you don't know me. I'm Mike," he said with a jaunty salute from his seat. "Howdy. Said it last night, too, but some of you were gill deep, so I'll say it again. I gotta tradition that's as old as as my time in the marines and that's a little song I'ma do for you right now. Join in if you know it. It's called Ride of the Bad Ass. Here we go-" right before breaking into a loud, testosterone laden, heavy metal version of Wagner. "Duh duh duh DUH duh.."

"Ah, hell. Here we go again," Parks muttered under her breath. "Maybe you should take requests next time." The dropship hit another spot of turbulence, and she grabbed the edge of her seat for support. She had a feeling it was going to be a rough landing.

"Captain Windsor, escort is standing by. Are you ready to descend?"

"In the pipe, five by five. Take us down, Commander," Melody replied over the comm.

"Duh duh duh DUH duh.."

She felt the ship shift, a couple of the newer Marine's yelped, but then the ship fell silent again. Too silent. She heard the normal roar of entering atmosphere, then it was replaced by the sound of wind. An odd tapping noise as they broke through some moisture rich clouds, and then wind again... just wind. No flak. No explosions. Just wind.

"Duh duh duh DUH Duh!"

Deakin was expecting more. More trouble. More noise. More bone-breaking shuddering of the drop ship. But none of that was forthcoming. He knew better than to hope that they would have an easy run of this mission. Instead, he steeled himself and got ready for the onslaught to come.

"Duh duh duh DUH DUH!"

Gavin Alken had never really felt out of place - in fact he'd always been quite proud to wear the mustard yellow tunic of Starfleet Security, ever since the day he had gone into his major with the piping on his cadet uniform. He'd always felt strong, he'd always felt ready, he'd always known that he was the best trained and the best prepared.

Until now. These marines had all seen things which he could never dream of and had probably shot them too and now here he was surrounded by deafening bravado and trying not to break down into a blubbing mess in front of them. He was going to get shot. He could feel it and looking across the aisle at his superior, who seemed serene among all the chaos and noise, wasn't really helping.

Alexander Gunning tugged gently at the harness which held his equipment pack on his back. The new Tactical Engagement Equipment which had been issued by Starfleet just before the war was bulkier than it had seemed in training and the vest suddenly seemed much thinner, much flimsier than it had before. He caught the eye of Ensign Alken and smiled wryly - he had always hated Wagner.

"Nobody knows this song? Aww c'mon guys it's a classic! You buncha uncouth apes.." fussed Witzowski, wh seemed completely immune to the stress of his fellows. For him, this was just another drop. Just another mission. Just another day. And as long as he kept telling himself that, everything was going to be okay.

"Can it, Witzowski!" Melody barked.

She furrowed her brow and adjusted her grip on the support bar.

Her earpiece crackled to life again, "Dropships, you're clear," O'Connor said. "Good hunting."

"Thanks for the date. We'll have to do this again some time," Melody quipped into the mic with a grin.

There was a double-clicked affirmative in her ear piece as the dropship leveled off and slowed for landing. Still. So. Damn. Quiet.

"Friendly welcome, huh?" She quipped to Deakin when their eyes met.

The platoon sergeant ground his teeth and cocked his head to the side. "Maybe they didn't catch the memo that we're at war and think we're paying a social call?" he said in his deadpan way that left people wondering if he was being serious or sarcastic.

"What's a matter, Sergeant? Did you not get the invitation?" Val asked with a grin. She held up her rifle. "I've got mine right here."

Deakin snickered and shook his head, "If you only knew how to work that thing, Parks, you might be dangerous."

"Oh, I'm already dangerous, Sergeant," Parks replied with her own snicker. "Just you wait and see."

Gunning checked his equipment one final time as he pulled himself along the overhead handrails toward Windsor and the dropship's exit. They were right - it was incredibly quiet. The noise of the ship landing was muffled by the dampeners. "We ready?"

Melody nodded, "Alright you knuckle draggers, listen up!" She barked, "You know the break down and who's where. Gunning and Danny are in charge of Dagger Group, I'm leading up Lance. You guys damn well better listen to Commander Gunning just like you would me. We've all got gold shirts with us, they're damn fine officers, but they're not trained in this kind of combat, let them be your fire support, but you need to make sure you damn well communicate what needs to be done and who needs to do it, they're relying on you to stay alive just like you're relying on them! Any questions?"

The security personnel seemed to bristle with pride at being called damn fine by a marine, a rare compliment indeed. Gunning made a movement with his hand which told the team to split up into their groups. "Let's get moving!" He pointed the way toward his team's route and checked the settings on his phaser rifle. We've got a pile of Dominion troops to get through and not a lot of time."

From the back of the drop ship Sandrine looked at those before her and figured now was the time for her ill time placed joke. "If anyone's allergic to phaser fire, now's the time to let me know."

"All right, boys and girls," Melody said, grinning deviously. "Let's go burn some bad guys!"

The drop ship's gangplank dropped and all fear and uncertainty was lost in the sound of clattering weapons and stomping boots.