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Long Time Gone Part 10
Posted By: grylsy<grylsy@hotmail.com>
Date: 26 January 2004, 10:51 AM


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Long Time Gone Part 10: Car troubles


       The massive drop ship lowered from almost 40 feet in the air to a mere 3 feet, the wings barely fitted in the small space, the rear door opened to allow the Shock Troopers to gain access to the ship. Hans gave a deep long high pitched whistle.

"All right, ladies, tis time to move, go, go, go!" He said running up and jumping in the back of the drop ship. The two medics came running out, a stretcher between them, Alison was still unconscious. Also the now patched up Chambers came running from the dilapidated house. Chris was the last one onto the ship, he looked backed, there was nothing but corpses and empty bullet casings everywhere, yet remarkably they had obtained no fatal casualties. He quickly took a seat, a seat which happened to be next to the second squad's leader.

"Hi," Chris broke the silence, "I'm Corporal Chris McAllen, I'd just like to express mine and everyone else's gratitude to you and your men, if it wasn't for you lot, we would have been pushing up daisies!"

"Oh, its ok" replied the leader, with this the smile wiped directly from Chris' face.

"Whoa, you're a woman..." Said Chris.

"You got a problem with that Corporal?"

"Ah, no sir! I ah mean, Ma'am!" Chris replied hastily. "I just thought you were a man by the way you walked..."

"The way I walk? Have you been eyeing me Corporal?" The whole drop ship exploded in laughter. Chambers slap his arm on Chris' shoulder and looked over too the female Sargeant.

"Hey, what do you know Chris? Two arguments with a girl in one night!"

The Sargeant removed her balaclava, her short auburn hair flailing loose, down to shoulder height. Some of the other Shock Troopers gave some whistles and the occasional 'hey foxy lady!" were said.

Chris looked about him self, the drop ship was slowing lifting into the air, and he had just been accused of liking the Sargeant, he admitted she was beautiful. But he only had eyes for Alison. Alison he thought, he looked to see where she was, she was still unconscious on the stretcher, God, that woman could sleep forever!

"Corporal?" a voice interrupted his thought. "Corporal?" He looked, it was the female Sargeant, and it appeared that everyone had sat back for a short trip to retrieve General Shutze.

"Yes, miss?" Chris replied.

"Corporal you still haven't answered my question,"

"And what question would that be miss?"

"Where you looking at my ass?"

"Ah..." he stammered, "NO! No, no ma'am I wasn't". His faced blushed red in embarrassment.

"Then what was wrong with the way I walked?"

"It was your rhythm".

"My rhythm?"

"Yeah your rhythm, the way your legs moved, they were very LONG, confident strides, when women tend to talk with in small strides, that's how I thought you were a man."

"OK, McAllen, I'll let you off, but next time I might have to punish you!" She said this in a interesting voice. Chambers jumped at the chance.

"You know I was looking too, are you going to punish me?" The Sargeant leant over Chris to reach Chambers, Chambers moved closer to her for the inevitable kiss, I closed his eyes and SLAP!

"OW!" Chambers screamed, more laughter from the troops,

"How's that for punishment?" Muttered Chris, snuffing a laugh.

The Sargeant didn't say anything she just checked her ammo.

       The ship lifted off after a minute of preparations. The ship flew majestically towards General Gütt who, by now was waiting for the ship. They reached Gütt's position, the female Sargeant stood up walked to the rear of the drop ship, threw down a rope, they were about 30 feet above Gütt's position, as there was a chimney in the way of their decent. The Sargeant fastened her abseiling gear and went down the rope. Chris lost sight for a minute and a half. Then the Sargeant came back up the rope followed by Gütt, who was pretty fit for his age and made good time up the rope.

Gütt quickly walked over to Hans.

"Hans, we got to get this black bastard! Not for vengeance, but because he's their leader! And he has something we want, we HAVE to stop him."

"Ok, sir," he replied, "We'll get him."

Gütt gave some rough directions where he was heading. Hans relayed these to the pilot and they were off.

The man in the white suit was making good time along the rough city streets, the city was lifeless, his army repelled he had to get out of Africa, some of his men were still fighting, and their presence could be heard in the outer suburbs. He had been driving for five minutes more when he thought he heard something, he checked the mirrors, nothing behind him, nothing left, nothing right, he guessed it must have been nothing, then he turned his attention back to the front, only top see the Coalition drop ship right in front of him about 200 metres ahead.



Chris was sitting quietly in the drop ship next to Chambers and the unidentified Sargeant, when the pilot called back.

"General Shutze!" he said, "we have confirmation on your run away African!"

"Good work, son," he said walking up to the cockpit, "we need to get in front of him."

"I think we can manage that, sir!"

Gütt walked back to the troop area.

"Ok Sargeant, I need your best marksman," Hans thought for a second.

"Ah sir, we don't have a sniper in these squads". Chambers called out.

"What about McAllen, sir?" he asked, "He was Sargeant Parkers spotter,"

"And where is this, 'Sargeant Parker'?" He inquired.

"About 3 feet from your heel, sir" Gütt spun and there was an unconscious female on a stretcher. "That's no good," he muttered, "what about you McAllen? Are you any good with a rifle?" Chris looked, thought and said.

"Well I'm not exactly the best marksman in the world but, yeah, I'm alright with a rifle... why?"

"I need you to stop the car that's ahead of us", he said this by putting his hand out next to a Shock Trooper who in turn handed the General the fiercest and scariest rifle Chris had ever seen.

"Corporal, I want you to meet the MK III 'Excalibur' Experimental anti-material sniper rifle" said Hans pointing at the weapon Gütt was holding. Gütt handed Chris the weapon. "It's a semi-automatic, 20mm anti-material weapon, firing from a closed bolt, it holds six rounds, five in the clip and one down the spout." Chris was thunderstruck by the weight of the weapon; it was easily over a metre long but weighed little more than 3 kilograms. Chris opened the breach; there was the scariest, largest bullet he had ever seen.

"That's the C19 20mm High Explosive Armour Piercing, or HEAP, anti-aircraft round, it's usually fired by UNSC mounted AA guns. It is most likely the most powerful rifle round we use, it out does the S2 in range and power, the reason it is experimental is because the rifle seems to out shoot its barrel every 50 or so rounds but we are working on it, our materials are limited with the loss of most of our mines, so we are settling for 2nd grade materials."

"So how do I stop a speeding car WITHOUT killing the driver?" Asked Chris.

"Well," said Gütt, "you could go for the tired but he might crash and die, so most likely shoot the engine block or carburettor through the hood, it won't be easy but you have to try..."

Chris walked to open left hand side door of the Whale, being handed a pair of wind resistant goggles which he put on, the door gunner also attached an safety harness to Chris' armour and secured it to a safety cable. The cool night breeze assaulted his face, the light dim of the burning city glared into his eyes, and then he saw the car. It was speeding through streets at a phenomenal speed.

Chris hefted the rifle to his shoulder, he looked through the scope but it was black, then a hand reached over his shoulder and pressed a red light on the Smart-Link� scope and then a light green glow assaulted Chris' eyes. He looked to see the face it was Hans,

"Sorry, forgot to tell you that the rifle's scope had to be powered to work." Right... thought Chris, How the hell did I get into this for Christ sakes! A night at a bar turns into a city wide combat zone, and here I am. Standing out in the freezing cold night, on the side of a drop ship, carrying a experimental rifle that has never been combat tested and I'm to stop a moving car for fuck sake!

Chris shook away his thoughts and looked down the scope, various range finders and compasses displayed range, wind resistance, target lead and other techno things Chris didn't really understand. The drop ship was now in front of the speeding car, with the front of the ship facing the car.

What are these fools doing? Thought the African, they cannot stop me! . With this he drove even faster.


"He's not going to stop, sir!" The pilot called back.

"I know," said Gütt with a hand rubbing his chin, "ok, when he gets with in one hundred metres, turn the whole ship so the left is facing that maniac!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Chris was given his instructions once more; he nodded, gripping his rifle more tightly. Chris watched the speeding car come towards them; he took a deep breath, held it and released it. He released the safety with some hesitation, hands shaking he raised the rifle to the ready position. The African was still advancing, 150 metres... 140... 130... 120... 110... don't do it fool! thought Chris... 100 metres...

"Now pilot!" yelled Gütt. The pilot swung the drop ship 90 degrees to the right, giving the sniper a clear shot. Chris was overwhelmed it was up to him now, he raised the rifle to his shoulder, held it tightly and took a deep breath.

"Now soldier! Now!" Screamed Gütt. Chris squeezed off a shot in haste, *PING* the round went wide of the left front tire by a metre, he took a little more time now *PING* the shot hit the left hand mud guard, only an inch off. *BANG BANG BANG* as simular results were made.

"You're missing him soldier!" Cried the General.

"It's harder than it looks, sir!" Came Chris' reply; bloody General if it's so important why doesn't he do it? and simular thoughts flooded Chris' mind. The car was barely 60 metres away and closing, fast. Chris took a deep breath, tightened his grip, aimed and said to himself "nothing is impossible." And with that he squeezed the trigger. *BOOM* was the almighty retort of the rifle followed immediately by a sharp twang as the bolt flung back with out a cartridge to grip. Chris was still looking down the scope at his intended target; the area where the engine is in the middle of the hood. Time slowed and Chris swore he could almost see the shiny tip of the bullet glint in the low light, it pierced the engine cover with out any resistance and hit the engine block, the explosive part of the bullet was triggered as it couldn't go any further through the engine.

The African saw the sniper and thought he couldn't hit him, he kept driving as bullets sliced through the air around his vehicle five shots went off then there was a delay. HA! He must be out of ammunition! he thought thinking of a quick getaway, then came the final, unexpected shot...



So tell me what you think guys





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