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Date: 4 MAR 3011 Time: 06:45hrs
Location: Courageous Firebase
The sun had barely risen above the horizon but already the clean-up was well underway after the latest attack. IFN troopers and civilian militia moved amongst the mounds of Oratan corpses surrounding the walls of Courageous Firebase, stripping anything that looked like it would be of interest to the Science Division. Everything else was dragged into piles and set alight. All around the base, dozens of pyres coughed greasy black columns of smoke into the still morning air. Occasional shots rang out as the few remaining Oratan fought to the death.
Theresa Green was walking among a group of corpses, checking them for life and tech, when she was suddenly struck hard from behind and knocked off her feet. She rolled onto her back as she hit the ground, desperately trying to bring her weapon to bear on the Oratan Miner trying to impale her. Before she could pull the trigger the Oratan’s head exploded, showering her in blood, bone and brain matter.
“Goddamnit!” she yelled, trying to wipe the gore from her armour.
“You missed one, Scrappy,” a voice said through her communicator.
“Yeah, you don’t say. Thanks Longshot.” She winced as she got to her feet.
“I’ve got your back,” Jim Regan, the team’s sniper, replied.
“Ahh! Oh frag it, I think cracked a rib,” Green moaned.
“Hey Double J, Scrappy got her tail waxed, she might need a bit of care and attention,” Regan chuckled.
“Okay, on my way,” came the reply from the team’s medic, John Jones.
“Better bring the good meds, John, she sounds cranky,” Regan teased.
“Come down here and I’ll show you how cranky I am,” Green snapped.
“Give it a rest,” the team’s XO, Lieutenant Jenny Edwards said sternly. “Longshot, did you see where that Oratan came from?”
“Yeah Ironhide, it was hiding behind some rocks just near one of the upper entrances to the caves,” Regan replied.
“Alright, looks like we might have some holding out in the caves then,” Edwards said, “I’ll let the Lieutenant Commander know. Team, prep for clean and sweep of the cave system below Courageous.”
“OoRah!” The squad answered together.
Alpha Team gathered at a rocky outcrop near the cave’s entrance, awaiting the arrival of the team’s leader, Lieutenant Commander Derek Knowles, known to the team as “Bossman”. As he approached, he was finishing a conversation through his communicator.
“Yes Ma’am, will do,” he said, terminating the connection. “Okay, that was Captain Chiharo with our orders. Apparently, these come straight from the Commodore himself.”
A low whistle greeted the news.
“So, what’s the Big Kahuna have to say, Bossman?” Regan asked.
“Ha! Only you could call Commodore Harvir that and not get latrine duty, Regan,” Knowles said with a smirk.
“Well, we go back a long way,” Regan grinned.
“Anyway, we’ve been tasked with clearing out the caves and seeing if there’s anything down there that the Oratan are interested in,” Knowles continued, “They’ve hit Courageous several times lately, more than anywhere else, and Command wants to know what’s so special about this place.”
“And,” Edwards said, gesturing to the large pack of demolitions equipment next to Green, “I take it by Scrappy’s toys here, that if we find anything interesting we are to blow it sky-high, Sir?”
“That’s right, but only if we know what it is and can’t take it out with us. We move out in five mikes so get your kit squared away and be on the bounce.”
Knowles led Alpha Team into the cave system, taking the ramps down into the caverns beneath the mountaintop base. Reaching the first cavern, they spotted a freshly dug tunnel in one of the side walls that must have been made by the Oratan. Scanning the area, they proceeded cautiously through the new tunnel, figuring that whatever the Oratan were after, or protecting, it must be somewhere nearby. After crossing several intersecting tunnels, they came to a dead end. Knowles was about to turn them around and begin exploring another section when he spotted something glowing at floor level at the end of the tunnel.
“Scrappy,” Knowles said, “check out that glow and report back, we’ll cover our six. With all the twists and turns down here, we may have missed a quiet Oratan hiding in a corner. We don’t want the buggers sneaking up on us while we are looking at something shiny.”
“You got it, Bossman,” Green said.
“Seems pretty quiet down here,” Jones said.
“Keep it zipped Double J, you’ll anger Lootius with comments like that. And you know she’ll make you eat your words.” Regan said.
“Really Longshot? I never pegged you for someone to subscribe to that bunk,” Jones said, turning to the sniper. No sooner were the words out of his mouth, than an Oratan appeared at the end of the tunnel, firing wildly and showering Jones with shrapnel as the laser bolts struck the wall beside him.
The team instantly returned fire, quickly downing the lone Oratan before it could get off more than a few inaccurate shots. Lowering his still smoking rifle, Longshot slapped Jones on the shoulder.
“Never hurts to have a little bit of healthy superstition,” Regan said, grinning.
“Jones, say something like that again and I’ll shoot you myself,” Edwards growled.
“Oh, not you too, Ma’am?” complained Double J.
“Uh, guys…” Green interrupted.
“What is it, Scrappy?” Knowles asked.
“We might want to get our butts out of here, Sir. This looks like some kind of tunnelling charge and I think it’s pretty close to going off.”
“Ok team, let’s shift ourselves.” Knowles ordered.
“I think someone might have an objection to that, Bossman. We’ve got contacts back here,” Regan said, pointing down the tunnel where several more Oratan had emerged from the deep shadows and were advancing on the team.
“Open fire!” Edwards yelled and the team brought their weapons to bear on the new threat. More Oratan emerged from the shadows as the team cut them down one by one.
“Dammit, there seems to be no end to them. Where are they coming from?” Knowles wondered.
“Sir, we need to get out of he- ” Scrappy started, when a blast erupted from behind them, cutting her off and knocking everyone flat.
As the smoke and dust cleared, the team struggled to get back up and confront the Oratan they were battling moments ago, when a piercing scream cut through the air. The team turned to see a huge Oratan Miner disappearing back into the hole created by the blast, carrying the squirming, screaming form of Theresa Green.
“Scrappy!” Jones yelled, as he and Regan started to chase after the retreating form.
“Regan! Jones! Stop!” Edwards commanded.
“What?” Jones said, skidding to a halt and glaring at the XO.
“Ironhide, you and Longshot grab Scrappy’s gear and go set it up at that last cross tunnel. Arm it, set the timer for thirty seconds and get after us. Looks like those Oratan shooting at us have disappeared for now, so one of you rig it to blow whilst the other provides cover.” Knowles ordered. “Double J and I will start after Green, so don’t hang around polishing your rifles unless you want to find your own way out again.”
“Yes Sir,” Regan said as he grabbed Green’s pack and ran down the tunnel with Edwards.
“No sense leaving an open door for them,” Jones nodded.
“Exactly. Now, let’s go get our girl and give these bastards a taste of Commando justice!”
Moments later, a couple of guards patrolling the walls of the Firebase had to grip the railings as the ground shook beneath them. As the new tunnel collapsed, a low rumbling echoed up from the caves, followed by a cloud of dust and dirt, causing a flock of birds to scatter away screeching.
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