Sal Taybrim Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 ((Cargo Bay One -- USS Aegis)) ::Silence. It hung in the air like a straight jacket. Most people found silence comforting, a chance to relax and reflect. Quintus found it boring. He paced around the cargo bay, growing more impatient by the minute. He hated silence. ::Yes, there were muted conversations scattered throughout the company. Yes, there was the muffled sound of equipment being tended, or repairs being made. There was even the sound of Jandara attempting to talk to him. Or, there had been up until a few minutes ago. She must have finally tired of his grunts and shrugs in response to her questions. There were sounds around the bay, yes. But there was silence in regards to orders to action. ::If they'd been back on base, Quintus would have gone to a holodeck for a training exercise. Even here, part of him wanted to drill the company to make sure they were prepared. But they'd been through a lot planetside and deserved their rest. Rest just wasn't what Quintus enjoyed. He continued growling as he paced. He nearly wore a groove into the deck plating when he heard a welcome voice call to him over the comm badge.:: Tatash: =/\= Tatash to Raisillius. Get to Transporter Room... 1, HALO gear. Have two techies with you to get this suit off me. Two automatic carbines, one demolition charge and a set of pattern enhancers, get them too. Double time. =/\= ::Finally, something to do! Thank the gods! He tried not to let the eagerness show in his voice. He had to sound professional, at least, even if inside his heart was doing flips of joy.:: Raisillius: =/\= Right away, sir! =/\= ::Grabbing the nearest two tool slingers to accompany him, he gathered the requested material. ::He practically ran toward the bay door before he caught Jandara's eye. He stopped, turning to her. He wasn't one for public displays of affection, especially in front of the troops. Instead, he made light of the situation to show his feelings.:: Raisillius: I'm heading out. HALO jump. Looks like you're not the only one flying today. ::beat:: See you when I get back. ::Jandara's heart pounded in her chest. HALO jumps were dangerous. She knew Quintus was thrilled with danger, thrived on it even. Sometimes, she felt, he took the dangerous route just to give himself a thrill. She knew he would be back soon, knew it. But it didn't stop her from worrying.:: Tem: ::sneering, but with a funny tone:: They're letting you HALO jump? Command must really be desperate to put such a failed flyer in that situation. ::putting a hand on his cheek. In a more serious tone.:: You come back, though, yes? ::He nodded, touching her hand that was on his cheek. Their goodbyes implied, if not said, Quintus and the techs hustled down to the transporter room. The Major hadn't arrived yet. Good, Quintus hated to be late to the action. When the doors did open and the Gorn ambled in, the technicians immediately began removing his armor. ::When he was out of the mech armor and suited in the proper kit, Quintus offered one of the carbines.:: Raisillius: What's the sitrep, sir? Tatash: Whittakers team is under heavy fire, we're being beamed in above their location, we open the chutes as late as we can and suck up the retroboosters G's. It's not going to be a clean drop Captain. Raisillius: And what about those? ::he gestured toward the pattern enhancers and the demolition charge:: Tatash: Load me up with them, we move them around the team, we beam them out.... the charge... well that's just a going away present. ::Quintus smirked. Excellent, there would be some fun involving destruction. His favorite kind of fun. Well, second favorite. ::The time passed quickly as the two marines checked each others buckles and straps. Minutes later, the room echoed with the sound of Commander Taybrim's voice.:: Taybrim: =/\= Bridge to Major Tatash, we're moving into position, waiting for your ready signal.=/\= ::They stepped up onto the transport pad. Neither man was showing fear, but there was apprehension nonetheless. Despite all their training and drills, nothing could ever prepare either of them for a live HALO jump. It was so dangerous that the marines didn't often prepare for it outside the well-regulated confines and safety of a holodeck. In this situation, though, the slightest mistake would easily result in a near certain death. Quintus took a deep breath to steady his nerves.:: Tatash: =/\= We're ready. =/\= Taybrim: =/\= As before I'm tying you into Falcon's feed and letting you both coordinate. =/\= Tatash: =/\= Understood. =/\= ::The screen on his helmet flickered with a series of complex displays. It was up to Falcon now to coordinate the rest of the information. That calmed Quintus slightly. She perhaps the best pilot he knew; even Jandara admitted that. He implicitly trusted that she would look out for them.::Falcon: =/\= Stand by. In range in fifteen seconds. =/\= Taybrim: =/\= All systems go. Godspeed, Major. =/\= ((Tilanna V - 3,500 feet above ground level)) ::The lights of the transported shimmered around them. The rematerialized in a freefall, his body forced to spread due to gravity. The information on his HUD display showed more information, including altimeter and the target zone. He was thankful for the display, because he couldn't see anything else through the haze surrounding them.:: Computer: 3,000 Feet. Caution: Exceeding recommended speed. Raisillius: =/\= Do you know where we are? =/\= Tatash: =/\= Pushing through the pollution layer now, watch out for civilian traffic.=/\= ::They continued to fall. Seconds later, having passed through murky gasses that contained who-knew-what pollutants, they reached the first of the civilian vehicles. They were falling so fast that most didn't have time to react. Quintus saw that one driver had her mouth agape, stunned that two black-clad figures would dare intrude upon her space.:: Computer: 1,500 Feet. Danger: Extreme risk to life. Terminal velocity achieved. Deploy parachute. ::Tapping his wrist, Quintus overrode the suit. The ground continue to enlarge before them. The target zone was becoming clearer as they fell closer and closer. The sprawling city was beginning to take distinct shapes. He could see the outline of the sprawling factory that was their target. 800 feet. 700. A bead of sweat formed on his brow.:: Tatash: =/\= We pull at a 200 feet. =/\= Raisillius: =/\= 200, sir? =/\= ::Surely the Major wouldn't push them that close? Another drop of sweat formed, dripping into his eye. He blinked it away, trying not to let anxiety overwhelm him.:: Tatash: =/\= You heard right. We open fire from 200 feet above, bring the [...]ed roof down to cushion our fall. =/\= Raisillius: =/\= As you say, sir. =/\= Computer: 500 feet. ::The meter continued to tick down while Quintus' heartrate continued to tick up. He was filled with adrenaline. Normally he loved the feeling, but this one was making him queasy. 300 feet. ::As he reached the designated height, he pulled the thick cord. He felt himself being dragged upward. His speed dropped with a surge of momentum in the opposite direction. The force threatened to tear the suit right off. ::Regaining his bearings, he looked down at the roof of the LZ. He fired his carbine, a stream of steel raining down on it. That force nearly knocked him out of position, but he quickly readjusted with the help of the micro-boosters in the suit. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Major Tatash had also begun hosing down the roof. ::Nearby, Quintus saw that the shuttle the teams had been using, with the stupid name Maximum Thrusters, was circling the building, offering its own, limited support with a quick shot or two from a small cannon. ::Tucking his knees to roll with the landing, they impacted the corridor. He landed with more force than he would have liked, but the adrenaline helped him shake off any momentary pain. He didn't think he'd broken anything. ::He continued firing, aiming for anything that his HUD indicated didn't have a Starfleet communicator signal. Bodies toppled around them, surprised by warriors falling from the sky. He heard the Major grunt in pain as a shot clipped part of his armor. Quintus looked for the [...] who did it, then let out a deadly hail of fire against someone who would dare harm a Starfleet marine.:: Raisillus: Got him! Tatash: ::Yelling over the din:: Grenade out! ::A crackle of light and a shockwave rang out as the grenade the huge Gorn had tossed moments before shook the corridor. Ears ringing from the blast, Quintus tossed his own, taking down the rest of the rabble. Smoke filled the corridor, but not longer the sounds of guns or fighting. Marine efficiency at its best. He had no sympathy for the poor fools who had been trying to defend the place. It was war, and they lost.:: Tatash: We're here to rescue you sorry bunch. ::The fighting might have been over, but Quintus took up a defensive position nonetheless. No one would surprise him.:: Raisillius: Holding clear. Tatash: Captain, set the charge up. Two minute countdown. Raisillius: On it. ::He nodded. Moving to a wall connecting the warehouse to the rest of the building, he placed the charge. It should be a large enough explosion to take down both sections. Or at least wreak havoc on it all so that it would be a massive reconstruction project.:: Tatash: We're taking this place down. Raisillius: I'll tell the shuttle to get out, now, sir. ::tapping his badge:: =/\= Raisillius to shuttle Maximum Thrusters. Fly away, now. Get out as fast as you can. We're taking a different route. =/\= 2
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