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Description
Alpha-Tango 771
Chapter 1

Captain Joseph Miller awoke to the sound of his alarm blaring in his quarters. BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP. He moaned and stuck his face into his hard and thin pillow. The worst part of serving in the Unified Systems of Humanity was the bed and breakfast service. He sluggishly rose from his expanded metal ‘bed’ and bumped his head on the bunk above him.

“Dammit” complained Miller as he rubbed the growing egg on his crown.

“That’s about the 3rd time you’ve done that this week Miller” called a sleepy voice from the top bunk.

Private Javier Sanchez swung his head over the side of the bunk he was laying on to gain a better view of his bunkmate.

“Nice one. You’re gonna get brain damage if you keep that up” quipped Sanchez.

“If it means a trip to med bay to escape your winey voice, then I’ll gladly smash my head against the wall” retorted Miller. Sanchez laughed.

Miller attempted to rise again, this time without injuring his head. He took a few steps and crossed the small and cold room to reach the lockers standing on one wall. He pressed his thumb against the fingerprint scanner and it popped open after a few seconds. He reached in and grabbed a pair of standard issue cargo pants and a white t-shirt before putting them on. Behind him, Sanchez dropped off the top bunk and onto the cold, hard floor. He followed Miller’s lead and got dressed. They both put on boots and headed out to the mess hall together.

The mess hall was packed as it always was at 0600 with hungry and tired marines. Miller yawned and scratched his thin stubble as he joined the line to receive breakfast. He and Sanchez grabbed a tray and a bowel before getting their five star meals: cold porridge and orange juice with a banana. They both moved through the mess hall, dodging laughing and yahooing marines to reach their usual spot.

“Yo Miller! Sanchez!” shouted Corporal Dade DeWitt as he waved the two over.

“Hey brother, what’s up?” greeted Sanchez has he gave a high five to DeWitt.

“Morning ladies.” Said Miller said as he dropped his tray onto the table and sat with the rest of his squad.

“Here they are, late as usual. Enjoy your sleep in boys?” Joked Private Stacey Brett.

“Sorry Brett, but we were too busy with your mamma last night to sleep” said Sanchez with a sly grin. This joke earned him some laughs and a few high fives.

“Uh huh, ‘cause all you two are ever gonna get is old women” she threw back.

“Ohhhhhh!” yelled Private Kent Parker. “Burn baby” he said.

The five-man squad roared with laughter before going about the business of feeding themselves. Together, they made up Phantom 1, a Special Response Commando Team (SRCT) serving in the Colonial Marines, under the Unified Systems of Humanity.

Parker was in charge of the technical side of their mission. Hacking doors, repurposing sentry turrets, disabling security cameras, frying enemy Battle Eye Systems and providing counter measures against enemy cyber-attacks. He carries a Remington M-11 Semi Auto Energized Carbine.

DeWitt is the squad’s demolitions and weapons expert and is second in command. He carries Composite F, a highly explosive compound made up of the newly-discovered element, Fluronium. If something is in the way, he’ll remove it. He specializes in all known explosives and weapon systems. He carries an M-44 Plasma LMG.

Brett is the squad’s sniper. She can knock down targets at extreme distances and shoot the fly off a table without scorching the finish. She has an advanced knowledge of projectile behaviour and is highly skilled in Mathematics. She carries a heavily modified G-99 Super-Heated Plasma-Bolt Sniper Rifle.

Sanchez is the Squads Hospital Corpsman. While each individual Marines Powered Armour has an emergency medical function that delivers antiseptic and painkillers to the wound, these can’t always be relied on. That’s where Sanchez comes in. He has an advanced understanding of Human and Xeno-Biology, specializing in Human, Dutarian and Ophian biology, the three most common races in the galaxy. He carries combat stims for his squad and wields a Remington M-11 Semi Auto Energized Carbine.

Finally, Miller is Squad Leader, and an expert in hand to hand combat and squad tactics. He commands his troops with respect and strength. He is fit, charming and practices Far-Kai, an Ophian discipline which blocks out physical pain and gives him superior melee skill. He carries a heavily-modified P-70 Personal Defence Plasma SMG.

Each marine in the SRCT wears Powered Armour. This heavy armour encompasses the marine’s entire body and is fully contained with a life support system. The armour can withstand large amounts of punishment thanks to the reinforced plate armour. Joints are made of flexible mesh that allows free movement. Areas of the body that are not flexible, such as the chest or shins, are double-reinforced for maximum protection. Each suit boasts a medi-system, which flows through the suit and applies antiseptic and painkillers to wounds, and can inject stims during long and protracted engagements.

A suit also contains a cooling system, to avoid the operator from overheating. Encompassing the entire suit is a thin shield projected from small emitters built in at intervals along the armour. This thin shield offers some protection from shrapnel and environmental hazards but won’t stand up to gunfire. Lastly, the Battle Eye System is built into the helmet, and is arguably the most important piece of software available to a Marine. The Battle Eye System or BES provides a heads up display for the wearer of the suit. It paints hostile combatants in red, and allies in green. It provides a mini-map of the surrounding area and shows how much ammunition the Marine has in his current clip and on back up. The BES also provides medical information, and links with every man in the squad, allowing each soldier to view real time info on squad status, and current mission objectives.

Miller still remembers the first time he armored up in a suit. It was one of the highlights of his career. The irony of all this however, was that Miller and his squad had never faced hostile combatants in a live engagement; there hasn’t been a major armed conflict in the galaxy for almost 50 years.

Miller sat back and contemplated this over a full stomach. His squad was still fooling around and having a good time. Training was up in 15 minutes, so he ordered his squad to settle down and finish eating.

“50 years” Miller said to himself.

Everyday Miller wondered whether he would ever get called into service. After all, he didn’t join the Colonial Marines to sit around and do nothing. Each day of training, drills, fitness tests and routine patrols made him more and more sure that he would never see a war in his life. Later, Miller would think about that final day of peace, and shake his head at how wrong he was.

Description
Alpha-Tango 771
Chapter 1

Captain Joseph Miller awoke to the sound of his alarm blaring in his quarters. BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP. He moaned and stuck his face into his hard and thin pillow. The worst part of serving in the Unified Systems of Humanity was the bed and breakfast service. He sluggishly rose from his expanded metal ‘bed’ and bumped his head on the bunk above him.

“Dammit” complained Miller as he rubbed the growing egg on his crown.

“That’s about the 3rd time you’ve done that this week Miller” called a sleepy voice from the top bunk.

Private Javier Sanchez swung his head over the side of the bunk he was laying on to gain a better view of his bunkmate.

“Nice one. You’re gonna get brain damage if you keep that up” quipped Sanchez.

“If it means a trip to med bay to escape your winey voice, then I’ll gladly smash my head against the wall” retorted Miller. Sanchez laughed.

Miller attempted to rise again, this time without injuring his head. He took a few steps and crossed the small and cold room to reach the lockers standing on one wall. He pressed his thumb against the fingerprint scanner and it popped open after a few seconds. He reached in and grabbed a pair of standard issue cargo pants and a white t-shirt before putting them on. Behind him, Sanchez dropped off the top bunk and onto the cold, hard floor. He followed Miller’s lead and got dressed. They both put on boots and headed out to the mess hall together.

The mess hall was packed as it always was at 0600 with hungry and tired marines. Miller yawned and scratched his thin stubble as he joined the line to receive breakfast. He and Sanchez grabbed a tray and a bowel before getting their five star meals: cold porridge and orange juice with a banana. They both moved through the mess hall, dodging laughing and yahooing marines to reach their usual spot.

“Yo Miller! Sanchez!” shouted Corporal Dade DeWitt as he waved the two over.

“Hey brother, what’s up?” greeted Sanchez has he gave a high five to DeWitt.

“Morning ladies.” Said Miller said as he dropped his tray onto the table and sat with the rest of his squad.

“Here they are, late as usual. Enjoy your sleep in boys?” Joked Private Stacey Brett.

“Sorry Brett, but we were too busy with your mamma last night to sleep” said Sanchez with a sly grin. This joke earned him some laughs and a few high fives.

“Uh huh, ‘cause all you two are ever gonna get is old women” she threw back.

“Ohhhhhh!” yelled Private Kent Parker. “Burn baby” he said.

The five-man squad roared with laughter before going about the business of feeding themselves. Together, they made up Phantom 1, a Special Response Commando Team (SRCT) serving in the Colonial Marines, under the Unified Systems of Humanity.

Parker was in charge of the technical side of their mission. Hacking doors, repurposing sentry turrets, disabling security cameras, frying enemy Battle Eye Systems and providing counter measures against enemy cyber-attacks. He carries a Remington M-11 Semi Auto Energized Carbine.

DeWitt is the squad’s demolitions and weapons expert and is second in command. He carries Composite F, a highly explosive compound made up of the newly-discovered element, Fluronium. If something is in the way, he’ll remove it. He specializes in all known explosives and weapon systems. He carries an M-44 Plasma LMG.

Brett is the squad’s sniper. She can knock down targets at extreme distances and shoot the fly off a table without scorching the finish. She has an advanced knowledge of projectile behaviour and is highly skilled in Mathematics. She carries a heavily modified G-99 Super-Heated Plasma-Bolt Sniper Rifle.

Sanchez is the Squads Hospital Corpsman. While each individual Marines Powered Armour has an emergency medical function that delivers antiseptic and painkillers to the wound, these can’t always be relied on. That’s where Sanchez comes in. He has an advanced understanding of Human and Xeno-Biology, specializing in Human, Dutarian and Ophian biology, the three most common races in the galaxy. He carries combat stims for his squad and wields a Remington M-11 Semi Auto Energized Carbine.

Finally, Miller is Squad Leader, and an expert in hand to hand combat and squad tactics. He commands his troops with respect and strength. He is fit, charming and practices Far-Kai, an Ophian discipline which blocks out physical pain and gives him superior melee skill. He carries a heavily-modified P-70 Personal Defence Plasma SMG.

Each marine in the SRCT wears Powered Armour. This heavy armour encompasses the marine’s entire body and is fully contained with a life support system. The armour can withstand large amounts of punishment thanks to the reinforced plate armour. Joints are made of flexible mesh that allows free movement. Areas of the body that are not flexible, such as the chest or shins, are double-reinforced for maximum protection. Each suit boasts a medi-system, which flows through the suit and applies antiseptic and painkillers to wounds, and can inject stims during long and protracted engagements.

A suit also contains a cooling system, to avoid the operator from overheating. Encompassing the entire suit is a thin shield projected from small emitters built in at intervals along the armour. This thin shield offers some protection from shrapnel and environmental hazards but won’t stand up to gunfire. Lastly, the Battle Eye System is built into the helmet, and is arguably the most important piece of software available to a Marine. The Battle Eye System or BES provides a heads up display for the wearer of the suit. It paints hostile combatants in red, and allies in green. It provides a mini-map of the surrounding area and shows how much ammunition the Marine has in his current clip and on back up. The BES also provides medical information, and links with every man in the squad, allowing each soldier to view real time info on squad status, and current mission objectives.

Miller still remembers the first time he armored up in a suit. It was one of the highlights of his career. The irony of all this however, was that Miller and his squad had never faced hostile combatants in a live engagement; there hasn’t been a major armed conflict in the galaxy for almost 50 years.

Miller sat back and contemplated this over a full stomach. His squad was still fooling around and having a good time. Training was up in 15 minutes, so he ordered his squad to settle down and finish eating.

“50 years” Miller said to himself.

Everyday Miller wondered whether he would ever get called into service. After all, he didn’t join the Colonial Marines to sit around and do nothing. Each day of training, drills, fitness tests and routine patrols made him more and more sure that he would never see a war in his life. Later, Miller would think about that final day of peace, and shake his head at how wrong he was.