hey there, seen as there are so many story threads going around I thought I'd add another one. I've been an avid reader of Nuklear-Slug's threads and they inspired me to get into writing again. Not just this but also a novel I've been writing for a long time. Anyway enough of my ramblings, on with the show!
Prologue
Things had not gone to plan, not at all. Here I was sat on the floor in a holding cell aboard a TM class ship, my hands were cuffed and I hadn’t eaten for a week. It all went wrong when I started preparing my team for the boarding party.
8 Days Ago
“Right team, our orders are to obtain this TM class ship.” An image was projected onto the wall behind me, high magnification onto a Teladi Pelican with a small fighter escort.
“As you can see, it has a small wing of fighters which I’ve been assured won’t be a problem, but it also looks like it has 3 ships in the hanger bays, they could be fully armed and ready for combat but we won’t know for sure until we get into scanner range, Prepare for the worst gentlemen! We go in 15 minutes.”
We were part of a small task force hired by the Terran Military to board all Pirate vessels, gain intel on the Pirate base they were coming from and obliterate it. The Commonwealth will not tolerate piracy and so we were here to ensure that message was put across.
My team was well trained and we had done operations like this for some time now. This was our 13 boarding of a TM in this sector or Asteroid Belt. 13 is supposed to be unlucky for some, I never believed in that superstitious nonsense until now.
Space suits on we rechecked our weapons, Plasma rifles were the norm these days needing no ammunition and with very few moving parts meant they were very reliable and had very little recoil, ideal for shooting in a zero gravity environment.
The klaxon sounded and we made our way towards the airlock, the target was in range. An explosion nearby rocked the ship just as the airlock doors opened, we started our space walk towards the Pelican, our captain had done a very good job and within minutes we were at the ship. To stop us floating away we activated our magnetised boots and landed with a clunk. Our best Engineer, a split called Ho’t Sh’t, got to work cutting through the hull while the other members of the team prepared themselves for the fight inside.
I took a look at the rest of the battle, our captain was veering away leaving us to do our jobs. He’d launched some fighter drones to keep the turrets on the TM busy while he made his retreat but they were going down fast. I realised at that moment that the fighter escort that we’d been told not to worry about was still active, down a few ships, but active and they were toasting fighter drones as fast as they could. One looked to be making a pass down the hull, it was a Nova and it was searching for us, the TM obviously had hull sensors which had alerted the whole ship to our presence.
Not really the surprise attack we were hoping for.
Our ship was quite a distance away now and looked to be getting away until I saw the remaining fighter escort close up in formation and fire 3 salvos of missiles each at her. 36 missiles headed directly for our home, I hoped the auto targeting turrets would take them out before they hit. I watched with baited breath just as Ho’t Sh’t called through the intercom.
“Almost through the hull. What the frak is that?!”
To be Continued.....
A Marines Life - Fiction
Moderators: TheElf, Moderators for English X Forum
Looks good! Hope u dont stop writing halfway thru!
Wanton Use of Nukes Blue Wing: Limbo
Quotes I like
Quotes I like
Klanthalas wrote:Who needs engineering when ya can just hit the control panel with a wrench
Gavrushka wrote:Huh, I'm no cheat, I'm not touching the infernal Springblossom I fly an unshielded Octopus with no upgrades and a damaged hull and when I want to take on a Xenon Q, I just hold my breath, roll down the window and throw pies at it..
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craigr1982
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Thu, 15. Apr 04, 20:57
Is the novel X related aswell?
I started a new story thread awell
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=244209
if u want to give me some tips, r a comment r sumthing that would be cool
(PS I serve with the army so if u have any random q's for tactics r anything ill help if at all possible!)
I started a new story thread awell
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=244209
if u want to give me some tips, r a comment r sumthing that would be cool
(PS I serve with the army so if u have any random q's for tactics r anything ill help if at all possible!)
Wanton Use of Nukes Blue Wing: Limbo
Quotes I like
Quotes I like
Klanthalas wrote:Who needs engineering when ya can just hit the control panel with a wrench
Gavrushka wrote:Huh, I'm no cheat, I'm not touching the infernal Springblossom I fly an unshielded Octopus with no upgrades and a damaged hull and when I want to take on a Xenon Q, I just hold my breath, roll down the window and throw pies at it..
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craigr1982
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Thu, 15. Apr 04, 20:57
Limbo - No my other novel isn't X related at all, it's all spy games and terrorism sorta thing.
I turned to see the lone Nova firing laser bursts at us, tracer rounds were impacting the hull near Ho’t Sh’t and I watched in horror as he vaporized in front of me, some laser rounds hit the area he was cutting and blew a hole in. He’d lost his life but we had an entry point which was his job, he’d have been proud. As I entered the ship I felt heat on my back, the Nova had changed his weapons to PBG, a flame based weapon which looked wonderful in a zero gravity environment but were so devastating that they were outlawed. Through my intercom I heard another of my team fall in the stream of PGB fire and caught a glimpse of a charred space suit drift past the hole in the hull.
My team was down 2 men already, definitely not good.
Inside the Pelican all hell was breaking loose, it had obviously taken a beating already before we got there. In fact it looked like someone had already tried to board it, conduits were ruptured leaving cabling trailing across the floors and on the wall to my left there was a pipe burst which was blowing some sort of gas across the corridor, there were also scorch marks on the floors from stun grenades and plasma rounds. However I didn’t get much longer to look round as a sentry gun deployed out of the ceiling and started spraying the corridor with plasma fire. It’s auto aim was obviously off as it was shooting wildly, not like the normal ones which were deadly.
“Throwing Frag!” one of my team shouted as I saw a frag grenade sail over my shoulder towards the sentry gun then I threw myself to the floor. The explosion ripped the gun in half, leaving it dangling from the ceiling and useless, unfortunately it also blew all the lights in the corridor so the only light source was the sparking remains of the sentry gun. I could hear footsteps further along in the corridor, looked like this ship had marines in too.
This was going to be one hell of a fight.
I turned to see the lone Nova firing laser bursts at us, tracer rounds were impacting the hull near Ho’t Sh’t and I watched in horror as he vaporized in front of me, some laser rounds hit the area he was cutting and blew a hole in. He’d lost his life but we had an entry point which was his job, he’d have been proud. As I entered the ship I felt heat on my back, the Nova had changed his weapons to PBG, a flame based weapon which looked wonderful in a zero gravity environment but were so devastating that they were outlawed. Through my intercom I heard another of my team fall in the stream of PGB fire and caught a glimpse of a charred space suit drift past the hole in the hull.
My team was down 2 men already, definitely not good.
Inside the Pelican all hell was breaking loose, it had obviously taken a beating already before we got there. In fact it looked like someone had already tried to board it, conduits were ruptured leaving cabling trailing across the floors and on the wall to my left there was a pipe burst which was blowing some sort of gas across the corridor, there were also scorch marks on the floors from stun grenades and plasma rounds. However I didn’t get much longer to look round as a sentry gun deployed out of the ceiling and started spraying the corridor with plasma fire. It’s auto aim was obviously off as it was shooting wildly, not like the normal ones which were deadly.
“Throwing Frag!” one of my team shouted as I saw a frag grenade sail over my shoulder towards the sentry gun then I threw myself to the floor. The explosion ripped the gun in half, leaving it dangling from the ceiling and useless, unfortunately it also blew all the lights in the corridor so the only light source was the sparking remains of the sentry gun. I could hear footsteps further along in the corridor, looked like this ship had marines in too.
This was going to be one hell of a fight.
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craigr1982
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Thu, 15. Apr 04, 20:57
I stayed where I was, inert on the floor I probably looked dead already so they might ignore me until it was too late if I was lucky. I heard my other team mates scuffle to find cover, one was behind a crate of some sort and the other was leaning round the doorway which we came in through. The footsteps slowed and I heard a Split barking orders to the rest of his team.
“Now!” I whispered into my intercom.
“Affirmative” was the reply from my teammates.
Two Stun grenades flew past me, one after another. I lowered my sun visor which would block out the blinding glare when they went off and would allow me to see the attackers for a few seconds. They were perfect throws and expertly timed, the first one rolled to a stop in the middle of the group and then detonated. Four marines were caught in the flash of light and I lined up the sights on my rifle. A quick double tap and now there were three, just as I realigned my next shot the second stun grenade went off. The three remaining marines were already blinded from the first grenade and the second one highlighted them again. I shot again, another of them fell to the ground. Now we were 3 vs 3.
The marines had learnt and they had lowered their own sun visors, our flash trick wasn’t going to work again. Still it was good while it lasted, they started to pull back it looked like they needed to regroup.
I looked back to my team, they were both striding towards me ready for action. Fine by me.
We raided the dead marine’s for ammo and cracked open the door, it opened to a set of steps.
“Deck One Secure, proceeding to Deck Two.”
Carefully we started up the steps, turning as we went so we didn’t get ambushed by the remaining marines, there were nowhere to be seen.
Something wasn’t right…
“Now!” I whispered into my intercom.
“Affirmative” was the reply from my teammates.
Two Stun grenades flew past me, one after another. I lowered my sun visor which would block out the blinding glare when they went off and would allow me to see the attackers for a few seconds. They were perfect throws and expertly timed, the first one rolled to a stop in the middle of the group and then detonated. Four marines were caught in the flash of light and I lined up the sights on my rifle. A quick double tap and now there were three, just as I realigned my next shot the second stun grenade went off. The three remaining marines were already blinded from the first grenade and the second one highlighted them again. I shot again, another of them fell to the ground. Now we were 3 vs 3.
The marines had learnt and they had lowered their own sun visors, our flash trick wasn’t going to work again. Still it was good while it lasted, they started to pull back it looked like they needed to regroup.
I looked back to my team, they were both striding towards me ready for action. Fine by me.
We raided the dead marine’s for ammo and cracked open the door, it opened to a set of steps.
“Deck One Secure, proceeding to Deck Two.”
Carefully we started up the steps, turning as we went so we didn’t get ambushed by the remaining marines, there were nowhere to be seen.
Something wasn’t right…
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craigr1982
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Thu, 15. Apr 04, 20:57
Sorry its been so long in coming, I been busy at work and not even had time for sleep let alone writing / gaming.
We were now at the top of the stairs facing another closed door. Silence behind it.
“They’ll have set up an ambush, chief.”
“For sure,” I replied.
“Let’s give them a surprise.”
We sneaked back down the stairs and through the door to where we started off. Off to one side was an access hatch, I ripped the panel off and looked up. No ladder, this hatch was only designed for deck one, but it did have a small vent leading up to deck two. We crawled up, it was a tight fit good job none of us were claustrophobic. I was leading and I stopped just above the deck two access panel.
“Ready?” I whispered.
“Yes, sir!”
“Go” Just as I said that I kicked the panel open, and withdrew my legs back into the hatch.
My team went straight into action and came out shooting while I came out of the panel. They had done well, the enemy marines had been waiting behind a crate, waiting for us to open the door at the top of the stairs. Of course the panel was behind them and they were so focused on the door in front of them that they didn’t notice my team come out until it was too late.
One of them took a plasma round to the chest and died instantly, another had his head blown off with a double tap of plasma. The last enemy marine made a quick exit towards the escape pods. One of my team was leaking air, a stray round from the had caught his suit and he was patching it up. The other came over towards me.
“Deck two secure, Sir”
“Where’s the last one?” I asked
“No sign sir.”
“Ok, Keep your eye’s peeled but I reckon he’s jumped ship.”
How wrong I was.
The three of us made our way down the corridor to the blast door securing the bridge. It was sealed tight, but we were prepared. Many a time we had gotten this far only to turn back facing defeat, until we finally captured a TM class ship intact and studied the blast door mechanism. There were two sets of doors, vertical in front and horizontal at the rear, both were controlled by a complex circuit to prevent boarders gaining entry. However there was a fail safe, in case complete electronic shutdown the doors were able to be opened manually using a cranking handle. Unfortunately both sets had a cranking handle and in order to gain the element of surprise they both needed to be opened simultaneously. Familiar with the layout my team mates moved to the panels and got ready to crank the doors.
“On my signal” I whispered.
They nodded in return.
“3…2…1…”
We were now at the top of the stairs facing another closed door. Silence behind it.
“They’ll have set up an ambush, chief.”
“For sure,” I replied.
“Let’s give them a surprise.”
We sneaked back down the stairs and through the door to where we started off. Off to one side was an access hatch, I ripped the panel off and looked up. No ladder, this hatch was only designed for deck one, but it did have a small vent leading up to deck two. We crawled up, it was a tight fit good job none of us were claustrophobic. I was leading and I stopped just above the deck two access panel.
“Ready?” I whispered.
“Yes, sir!”
“Go” Just as I said that I kicked the panel open, and withdrew my legs back into the hatch.
My team went straight into action and came out shooting while I came out of the panel. They had done well, the enemy marines had been waiting behind a crate, waiting for us to open the door at the top of the stairs. Of course the panel was behind them and they were so focused on the door in front of them that they didn’t notice my team come out until it was too late.
One of them took a plasma round to the chest and died instantly, another had his head blown off with a double tap of plasma. The last enemy marine made a quick exit towards the escape pods. One of my team was leaking air, a stray round from the had caught his suit and he was patching it up. The other came over towards me.
“Deck two secure, Sir”
“Where’s the last one?” I asked
“No sign sir.”
“Ok, Keep your eye’s peeled but I reckon he’s jumped ship.”
How wrong I was.
The three of us made our way down the corridor to the blast door securing the bridge. It was sealed tight, but we were prepared. Many a time we had gotten this far only to turn back facing defeat, until we finally captured a TM class ship intact and studied the blast door mechanism. There were two sets of doors, vertical in front and horizontal at the rear, both were controlled by a complex circuit to prevent boarders gaining entry. However there was a fail safe, in case complete electronic shutdown the doors were able to be opened manually using a cranking handle. Unfortunately both sets had a cranking handle and in order to gain the element of surprise they both needed to be opened simultaneously. Familiar with the layout my team mates moved to the panels and got ready to crank the doors.
“On my signal” I whispered.
They nodded in return.
“3…2…1…”
Its a Boron. 
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craigr1982
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Thu, 15. Apr 04, 20:57
Jeez, can I make a request for my life to slow down so I actually have time for stuff other than work??
They both started cranking as I pulled the pin on my stun grenade and flung it through the opening. I pulled back behind the door as the grenade bounced over a console and detonated. The doors were open enough for us to gain entry so I sent one of my team in first, he clambered in while we covered him.
“All clear,” he muttered.
We followed him in to the bridge area and found the last remaining marine, the stun grenade had done its job and he was lying on the floor, unconscious.
“You know the drill, lets secure this tub and return to base” I barked.
“Yes Sir!” my remaining two teammates replied.
One walked over to a console and started to hack into the ship’s core computer system which would give us complete access to the ship, while the other started work on the communications device so we could contact our ship.
“Sir” The communications expert, called out.
“What is it?”
“There’s something wrong here, I can’t find any Terran Military vessels.”
“Don’t be an idiot, check again.” I shouted.
“I did sir, there’s nobody here…Well nobody friendly anyway.”
A screen flickered into life in front of the command chair, it showed our Terran Katana moving away from the Pelican after dropping us off. It was followed by salvo’s of missile fire which the laser defences were picking off very well. Then from behind the camera there was the tell tale jump flash of another ship entering the sector and a bombardment of missiles overhead. There must have been at least 50 and they were all heading to our Katana.
They both started cranking as I pulled the pin on my stun grenade and flung it through the opening. I pulled back behind the door as the grenade bounced over a console and detonated. The doors were open enough for us to gain entry so I sent one of my team in first, he clambered in while we covered him.
“All clear,” he muttered.
We followed him in to the bridge area and found the last remaining marine, the stun grenade had done its job and he was lying on the floor, unconscious.
“You know the drill, lets secure this tub and return to base” I barked.
“Yes Sir!” my remaining two teammates replied.
One walked over to a console and started to hack into the ship’s core computer system which would give us complete access to the ship, while the other started work on the communications device so we could contact our ship.
“Sir” The communications expert, called out.
“What is it?”
“There’s something wrong here, I can’t find any Terran Military vessels.”
“Don’t be an idiot, check again.” I shouted.
“I did sir, there’s nobody here…Well nobody friendly anyway.”
A screen flickered into life in front of the command chair, it showed our Terran Katana moving away from the Pelican after dropping us off. It was followed by salvo’s of missile fire which the laser defences were picking off very well. Then from behind the camera there was the tell tale jump flash of another ship entering the sector and a bombardment of missiles overhead. There must have been at least 50 and they were all heading to our Katana.
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