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The Renegade Marines Part VIII - The Return To Memories
Posted By: Shadow<Shadowolf16@aol.com>
Date: 27 March 2002, 12:17 am


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Kroeger woke up in his quarters and looked around. His leg didn't hurt at all, and he could move it around perfectly. He smiled, and got up in his dimly lit room. He walked out of his quarters and took a look around the hall. To his left was the infirmary, where the other marines were surely stationed. To his right was a maze of other hallways. He decided to visit his friends, and then go talk to the general. He swirled to the left, and walked through the infirmary doors. As he walked through, he was immediately flooded with light, and it took him a while to adjust. He looked around and saw a lot of familiar faces, as well as many familiar voices.

"OW! Don't do that! Hey! That's the commander! Hey boss! You made it!"
"Wha? Hey!"
"Wow! I thought you were finished when the Banshee shot ya!"
"Glad to see all of you marines. Who did we lose?"
"Hey, we have a list, I'll give it to you."
"Wait, it's ok. I'll take a look later. I gotta go see the general."

Kroeger left the room, and walked through the halls to the assembly room. He walked in, and as always, the assembly members were arguing over something. As the doors automatically opened, they all looked at him, and chatter stopped. Kroeger walked up to the table, and took a seat.

"It's good to see you made it through commander."
"Yes, and we're also glad that you were able to accomplish the mission."
"But we hear that the Covenant came to attack you after you finished your mission. What do you think?
"I don't know. The Covenant could not have had ANY idea of our staged attack on the traitors, but apparently they somehow knew. I'm guessing that one of the traitors is in league with the Covenant and leaked some info to them."
"Or commander, it could be that the entire government is in league with the Covenant."
"Nonsense assembly members. Even though we are at war with the government, they want to destroy the aliens as much as we do."
"Well, what do we do now?"

Kroeger was becoming confused with the assembly members arguing back and forth, until the general broke in.

"Ok, well I think that the government is officially blinded, so we'll attack the Covenant this time. Remember the covenant base that Kroeger attempted to attack before the interruption of the government? Well, we have info that that the base is lightly defended as of now, with the Covenant going on the offensive. We can acquire a multitude of enemy technology and enemy weaponry. I recommend that Commander Kroeger lead this attack."
"I agree, he did it once, he can do it again."
"Yes, plus he is familiar with the battlefield."
"Ok, It's set. Kroeger, we'll supply you with your old marine team."
"No sir, I think that they are still a little shaken up by the previous fight. I wish for a new squad, I don't want any of my old marines getting killed anymore. I think they've seen enough for a while."
"Ok commander. You'll be assigned the 185th, and 186th detachments. That gives you about 60 men at your command. You can give briefing at the drop site, and your mission starts now commander. Get suited up."
"Thank you sir."

Kroeger saluted and left the room, the doors opening and closing automatically for him. He quickly walked to the barracks area of the military fortress and put on his equipment: uniform, boots, gloves, backpack, helmet, IMDS sensor attachment, and the new pulse rifle. He smiled as he loaded the new weapon with a 130-bullet clip. The new rifle was experimental, but was being apparently being issued to all the troops. The new rifle shot out bullets that were about 3 times size of the MA5B Assault Rifle, but charges them first. These bullets move faster, and more accurately with the electron charge, as well as giving a small electrical shock to the enemy. The pulse rifle was different in that it had less accuracy than the already inaccurate MA5B, but it packed much more power. The pulse rifle was larger, and thus would be slower in tracking the enemies, but the new targeting system should help. He snapped his pistol in place, and walked to the hanger. As he walked in the huge behemoth of a room, there were tanks being attached, and rocket-warthogs being outfitted. He smiled as he saw the marines already piling in. He jumped in the 3rd of the 5 Pelicans, and waited. Elevator to the launch tunnel raised the first Pelican. Then, the 2nd, and then the 3rd were raised, and now it was their turn. The Pelican jerked a little with the rising of the elevator. The elevator brought the Pelican to the launch tunnel, and gizmos attached to the Pelican, throwing the ship forward with extreme force. He seemed to handle it ok, but the force was about 7 Gs. His sight became a blur, and all of a sudden, he looked out the hatch, and the Pelican was in the sky, heading towards the enemy base. He smiled, and fell asleep as the Pelicans flew in the sunset sky.
Kroeger woke up to jerking, and saw the ship slow down, and begin a vertical landing. The Pelican soon came to a halt, floating in the air, like a butterfly...and big heavy metal one. He readied his pulse rifle, and looked at the other marines.

"Marines, are you ready?"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"Let Go!"

He was the first person out, and he landed in a kneeling position with his pulse rifle up, and his IMDS scanning reticule doing a RPT search of the area. Everything was clear, and motioned it as the other marines jumped down. He looked at the Pelicans as they detached the 3 warthogs, and 2 scorpion-tanks and disappeared into the sky.
"Commander, we'll be on standby for your extraction if needed."
"Thanks Jen."

He looked at the marines, moving into formation.

"Alright boys, this is a straight up assault. There will be no strategy, other than follow the in battle orders. I want squad 3 to man the tanks and the warthogs. The warthogs will move first, and provide a reconnaissance. The marines will follow up, with the scorpion tanks providing support. Now MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"

The warthogs became immediately manned, and the warthogs drove on, while Kroeger led the marines and the tanks behind the warthogs. It was a quick run to the top of the hill, and bad memories flooded his mind as he remembered the last battle he had here.

"Sir, we're all in position."
"I want a volley of missiles from the two warthogs with rocket launchers, as well as a full blast from the tanks. Hit the troops and vehicles. The general wants the building intact."
"Yes sir!"

Kroeger braced for the loud blasts, and they came. He looked up and saw the orange-yellow muzzle flash from the tanks and warthogs. He looked over the hill, and saw the frantic Covenant run for cover. He got and smiled, as he began firing his pulse rifle.





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