HRP Second Story Chapter 1

When the ODST bumped into me, I didn't notice until the ODST behind me points it out.
But before I could apologize he's gone off to... wherever he went off to. Then I take notice of something.
On the ODST that bumped me was a insignia of a double moon. Dusk Squad.

Sir, what about the civilians?

"Wait until we take care of this new issue, then go help. Hopefully without something else popping up too."

=i nod and salute=
Understood.

=i turn to leave and see another spartan, my HUD marking them as the Spartan I talked to from before. I nod in courtesy and move past him, following my squadmates=

Sir? Orders?

"Dusk Squad will go with both Spartans. Civilian recovery. A small infiltration team should get the job done. And if you don't. Well, you aren't part of my forces anyway."

I salute and follow the others out of the tent. This wasn't going to be good.

Both Spartans with Dusk Squad? I prefer to work alone... Then again. I can protect them much better.
I nod at the Commander guy and walk out of the tent, following the squad.

Once Dusk three left I got inline for some food.
I got my tray and went back to the table. the Helljumper was there when I got back.
He seemed disgruntled for some reason.
"What's wrong?"

Janitor wrote:

Once Dusk three left I got inline for some food.
I got my tray and went back to the table. the Helljumper was there when I got back.
He seemed disgruntled for some reason.
"What's wrong?"

=I take off my helmet and run my hands through my hair=

My squand and I are on a civvie resecue mission deep behind enemy lines.

=I sigh and clench my fists, trying to calm myself down=

That, and we have our rookie tagging along for the ride.

I wander if their Sergeant woke up yet?
"What's wrong with the rookie? He's the one you guys call Dusk four right?"

I followed Vance around the corner were I was greeted by Four Echo and the group of civi's that they had rounded up.

I thought they were already extracted.

*Vance

"We just got here and they were all rounded up in the school not far from here, seems the news has gotten around."

Yeah, one would guess.

"Alright follow me, Kreiss shouldn't be far."

As one wouldn't expect by the name Kreiss is in fact a female, her first name is Sasha but she prefers Kreiss. Vance and me walked around for a second to find her.

"Ah there she is. Sergent!"

She turned when she heard her calling and quickly walked toward us.

Well what do we have here, lost your way marine. Where is Seven Echo.

I pointed in the direction of where I assumed they were.

"Sir, Dante need a ride back."

She turned around and walked a pace or two, then turned back around. She had the personality of a hard ass but the face of someone gentle. It's hard to believe that she and Marik once fought side by side. See there are eight echo squads and all are led by the original and first members of One Echo, or back then Echo Blue.

Of course, a duckling must get back to the mother. Do as you must Vance and report back quickly.

I disliked that she called me a duckling but it's just her poking fun.

"Lets go."

I saw him run to a Warthog and I followed pace. I jumped into the hog and we took off. Me and Vance chatted back and forth on past events. I looked at my locator and realised that we were close.

Just around that bank.

Vance nodded to me and made the turn. I could see Seven Echo closing in. We stopped near them.

HEY MATT GUESS WHO I FOUND!

Janitor wrote:

I wander if their Sergeant woke up yet?
"What's wrong with the rookie? He's the one you guys call Dusk four right?"

=I simply sigh=

Yeah, he's our number four.

=I rub my head=

As far as an being an ODST is concerned, he's way too green. That's my only problem.

Ellie had stayed out of sight, hobbling back to the infirmary. Consigning herself to the doc's care, she settled back down.

"How much longer am I going to have to stick around here?"
"Maybe a few days, if you're lucky."
With a groan, Ellie laid back. Not her ideal way to participate in a mission - in spirit alone.

I finish chewing a bit of some sort of meat.
"Are you so sure that he needs to be watched over? He must have seen enough combat to watch his own hide."

=I nod, agreeing with the marine=

I agree wi you on that. He doesn't need some hand-holding.

=I look and see the squad file back in=

Saved by the bell...

"Ho... Hold on."
I get up from my chair and follow Dusk three.
I'm not letting these guys leave without me.
"I was told I could tag along with you guys. Hope you don't have a problem with that."

=i look around the room, seeing Dusk 3=
Hey, Dusk 3, we got new orders. Going infiltrating.

=i look at the Marine=
Not at all soldier, at least, I don't mind. What's your name?

I look to the Spartan that was at the table earlier.
"Sergei... Sergei Miller, you can call me Catty, that was my nickname in my old squad."

=i nod=
Dormius, Sierra 582. Parents didn't love me enough to give me a real name.

=i make the smile gesture on my helmet=

=I grin slightly, giving the my backpack a shake=

So I overheard. I think I have some goodies for that task.

=I lay the C-12 on the table=

This is how spec ops opens doors. Violently.

=I can't help but grin at the statement=

I look at the C-12 Dusk three laid on the table.
That'd make a big boom.
"Thought you wanted to handle the explosives. Though I'm not complaining."

I walk into the tent I had seen Dusk Squadmates walk into and stand near the door. Or tent flap, whichever.

=I grin happily=

That's what the Corps pays me to do. And I take pride in that.

=I pat it like I would a child=

"Whatever you say man. If you want me to carry some of that just load up my pack."
I turn my back to Dusk three, giving him access to the backpack.
I see another Spartan enter the tent.
"He with you guys to?"

I realize the... Marine was talking to me and not Sierra Dusk. So I look directly at him and nod in response.

Mr. J wrote:

I followed Vance around the corner were I was greeted by Four Echo and the group of civi's that they had rounded up.

I thought they were already extracted.

*Vance

"We just got here and they were all rounded up in the school not far from here, seems the news has gotten around."

Yeah, one would guess.

"Alright follow me, Kreiss shouldn't be far."

As one wouldn't expect by the name Kreiss is in fact a female, her first name is Sasha but she prefers Kreiss. Vance and me walked around for a second to find her.

"Ah there she is. Sergent!"

She turned when she heard her calling and quickly walked toward us.

Well what do we have here, lost your way marine. Where is Seven Echo.

I pointed in the direction of where I assumed they were.

"Sir, Dante need a ride back."

She turned around and walked a pace or two, then turned back around. She had the personality of a hard ass but the face of someone gentle. It's hard to believe that she and Marik once fought side by side. See there are eight echo squads and all are led by the original and first members of One Echo, or back then Echo Blue.

Of course, a duckling must get back to the mother. Do as you must Vance and report back quickly.

I disliked that she called me a duckling but it's just her poking fun.

"Lets go."

I saw him run to a Warthog and I followed pace. I jumped into the hog and we took off. Me and Vance chatted back and forth on past events. I looked at my locator and realised that we were close.

Just around that bank.

Vance nodded to me and made the turn. I could see Seven Echo closing in. We stopped near them.

HEY MATT GUEST WHO I FOUND!

ha!

I smirked. I didn't know that there were other echo teams in the area. So seeing him return with four echo was a bit of a shock.

37 possible entry points. 37 points of cover.

...

What is with my obsession over 37 today?

I shake my head.

No need to worry about it now.

Anyway, Dante was back, we could continue onwards.

--There was a school near here, probably where Four Echo had been. It was a public school. I couldn't remember the name. But when I was in high-school, we had a few games against them. However, it was unusual. We were a private school. There was some reason we faced them, I was never clever enough to ask. I had had such a privileged life compared to these kids, and then I joined the UNSC. Stranger things have happened.

=I give a slight grin=

Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll carry the explosives myself.

=I look at the other Spartan=

And where we're going...we'll need any help we can get.

"Alright than. I'm gonna go grab some extra ammo.''
I make my way to the supply tent and stock up on 7.62 FMJ rounds for assault rifles,
along with SMG ammo, sniper rounds ETC.

I jump out of the warthog as it came to a stop, I could hear Vance getting out too. I looked around the area to see where Echo has gone to. Didn't seem too far from when I left. My attention reached Matt and I started to walk toward him.

Guess there are other Echo's here.

Why would the Marine be getting extra ammunition other then for himself. He may very well be coming with us.
I step over to my left so that I wasn't in the doorway.

Mr. J wrote:

I jump out of the warthog as it came to a stop, I could hear Vance getting out too. I looked around the area to see where Echo has gone to. Didn't seem too far from when I left. My attention reached Matt and I started to walk toward him.

Guess there are other Echo's here.

"Guess so."
Matthias looked around. The light rain rain persisted, the dull patter of rain drops, the wound of warthog engines, the echo of feet as they shuffled around. The sun shone through the clouds, the warmth made made the humidity uncomfortable. Half the city was in the dark of rainfall, the other, in light of rainfall.

Okay. A Marine, three ODST's and Sierra Dusk to protect. I can handle this... I've had bigger numbers of less trained soldiers to protect.
I'm just worried the Marine might get hurt. Sure he's trained for combat and everything... but we're breaching enemy lines to evacuate-
Crap. I forgot we're going to evac civilians. This is going to be hard to protect them all. But I can do it. I have to.

I check my weapons and ammo. I have one clip for the assault rifle and that assault rifle itself. I'm going to need something else.
"Excuse me."
I say to nobody in particular and leave the tent. Then heading off to the weapons tent so nicely pointed out.
Once inside I put the rifle I have away and look around the selection. Finding a decent amount of weapons.
So I grab a DMR and a magnum. Then stocking up on ammo and grenades. Eventually making my way back to the tent the ODST squad is in.

I walk into the tent where the rest of my squad had gathered.

Someone needs to go talk to Ellie. Let her know what's going on. We need to get some intel and pool it together here too.

If we can spend the rest of the day planning and leave at nightfall, we'll stand a better chance of remaining undetected.

It should be one of you, since you know her better than I do.

=i shrug=

You can go get us some satellite photos of the AO then, Seirra.

I cross my arms and stand there at the flap

=i nod=
Understood. I'll get what I can.

=i headed out towards the communication tent, knowing that'd be the best area to find satellite data=

=I look at Two=

Two, I saw Sarge at the meeting. She most likely knows most of what we are going to do. That, and she trusts you more than me, Two.

=I grab a few mags of AR ammo and slip in a clip=

You should go down there anyway and check on how she's doing. See if you can grab an estimate of when she'll be up and about again.

I look at Three. Whether Ellie liked me more was irrelevant. We needed to all like each other or the squad would never work. If one of us had to be pushed to make friends, then so be it.

=I simply nod=

Copy that, Two.

=I put on my helmet and head to the medical section, and I try to sneak in=

Hey, Doc, how's our Sarge doing?

=The doctor turns to me=

Doctor: She's recuperating from the injuries. Thankfully, the biofoam managed to keep the injuries stable.

So, is she fit to fight?

=The doctor looks at me and sighs in disapproval=

Doctor: Barely. I'd reccomend not sending her out into the field in her current state, though.

=I nod and take my leave, entering our makeshift muster station=

I clear a table off, pretty much piling all the stuff onto the floor. Kicking a box over, I sit upon it.

Seirra needs to hurry up with that intel.

=i arrive in the comm tent and explain what I need to a nearby technician. He leads me over to an open terminal and let's me go to work, downloading all relevant data onto a data chip I can share with the others, as well as some printouts. It's fairly fast, but definitely not a speedy process. It takes maybe 10-15min for it to finally finish, after which I start heading back, leaving the controlled chaos of civilian extraction communication behind me=

=i walk back into the tent with the printouts=
Intel, all set. Anyone got a pointer?

=i set the papers down on the table=

=I shake my head and shug=

I got nothing, Sierra.

=I lean over to Two=

Two, about the Sergeant...I got good news and bad news.

Once I had a good amount of ammo loaded up I exit the supply tent.
I see Dusk three leave the medical tent and enter a different one. I then make my way in that direction.

I look over to the map Sierra brought, wait. Sierra one brought. Since I'm apparently Sierra two. Aaanyway.
Looks like this is going to be difficult, especially with the group size we have. Not including the civilians we're getting...