Gabriel Landowski

CHAPTER VI

Holly leaned forward on the desk as he read through the After Action Report. Kyle noticed that he held a crude cigar in his left hand which he occasionally stuck in the corner of his mouth. The sweet smell of the smoke reminded Kyle of black cherries.

Must be something the locals brought in.

Holly flipped the page over and read the few remaining words Kyle had written before setting the paper down.

"So Evans, you seem to be a magnet for trouble."

Kyle was not quite sure what his platoon leader was getting at and so he remained quiet. Holly looked at him and gave a small laugh.

"Since we've been here you've been in three separate engagements. If I am not mistaken that makes you the most experienced veteran I've got."

Kyle had never thought of it that way.

I guess I am. Dumb luck?

"The good news is that you're still in one piece and you managed to come away from this latest scrap with only one killed."

Kyle swiftly acknowledged the statement and thought about Neel. Ever since that first night, the native and Lemm always wanted to know more about the drop ships. The young ranger had always hoped to see one up close or even ride it one day. After the squad had buried the body, Taulk had presented the family blade of the fallen warrior to Kyle.

At first he refused to take it, but the others insisted. By honoring the weapon, the family was thus honored; Kyle had little choice in the matter. Reluctantly he held the dagger in his hands and clung to it for most of that night. He tried to remember the face of the warrior it had belonged to so as not to forget.

"I lost a good ranger out there, Master Sergeant."

Holly appeared to mull this over and then slowly nodded his head.

"It's not easy losing people in combat."

"No, Master Sergeant."

Holly leaned back, his mouth a grim line across his face.

"In the old days, during the beginning of the Riots, they pulled us kids straight out of the military prep schools and put rifles in our hands."

Kyle looked up from the spot on the desk where he had been staring.

"Three hours later there we were, near the center of the city behind barricades of razor wire. To our front, several thousand pissed off looters came around the corner - and let me tell you - we all wanted to run; Somehow we managed to stay put, afraid to be the first to admit we were cowards."

Holly took a long draw of the short cigar and let the sickly sweet smoke roll out from his mouth.

"There were two hundred of us when it started. Those crazed people ran right up to us and someone in the ranks opened fire. We just started mowing them down as fast as we could. They just got really pissed and pressed forward. Once we ran out of ammunition they took the bodies of the dead and dying and threw them onto the razor wire to weigh it down."

Kyle looked with appraising eyes at the man. Holly just paused and played with his cigar between his fingers.

"At that point there was nowhere to run. We were just a bunch of terrified kids left to the mercy of a crowd gone berserk. By the time they were done beating and clubbing us, you'd have thought we were all dead. The whole barricade was covered with broken bodies and washed in blood. When the reserve battalion arrived, they dug through the pile and pulled out thirty-two of us that were still breathing. In the end, of the original two hundred, only twelve of us made it out in one piece."

Holly pointed to the large scar over his left eye.

"That's where I got this. That kind of experience forces you to grow up real fast, and colors your view of the world for the rest of your life."

Shocked, Kyle could only nod his head in response.

"Your recon patrol killed twenty-two of the enemy, you brought back a prisoner, and some intelligence items of high value. I know that none of this equals the life of a man you served with, but considering how it could have ended it didn't turn out so bad."

Kyle nodded his head again and thought of the snarling dogs whose razor sharp teeth had disfigured Neel. He relived a trace of the raw terror he had felt during the fight which sent a slight shiver down his spine.

Holly blew another thick smoke cloud before stabbing the cigar out in an ash tray.

"How did Taulk get Staff Sergeant Percy's carbine?"

Kyle shot a glance at Holly who continued to rub the crumpled cigar stub without looking up.

"Well, Master Sergeant, I don't really know. Staff Sergeant Percy and I split up at the base of the embankment as I stated. I was shooting targets as they came my way and then pressed forward to rejoin the squad, which had ambushed the enemy from the rear. I heard the other carbine when I tried to stop the cavalry from retreating. It wasn't until later that I learned it was Taulk doing the shooting and not the Staff Sergeant."

Holly looked up from the ash tray.

"You included all that in your written statement. What I'm asking about are the parts you didn't include in the report. In particular, you training rangers to fire carbines and Staff Sergeant Percy running from the enemy."

The senior man stared at the trooper across the desk as a painful silence filled the room. It was all Kyle could do not to lose his composure; he did the only thing he could think of.

He feigned surprise.

"Master Sergeant?"

Holly stared straight into his eyes.

"Natives don't pick up a carbine for the first time and drill bad guys out of the saddle at sixty yards without someone showing them how to do it. Staff Sergeant Percy changed his story so many times, the only thing that is clear is his weapon somehow magically appeared in the hands of your ranger."

Kyle stared at the man, unwilling to dig a deeper hole but also unable to just come clean. Holly appeared slightly irritated.

"Son, I want to explain something to you."

Oh shit, here we go.

Kyle could feel the tension. A good number of ass chewings began this way.

"I don't want someone out there leading soldiers who can't do the job. I want to know, right now, if Staff Sergeant Percy ran from the enemy. 'Yes' or 'no'."

Kyle started to answer but lapsed into silence. He hated the staff sergeant from the core of his being. The trouble was that two years in the infantry taught him that dirty laundry should be kept within the unit. As far as he was concerned the matter was concluded unless Percy was again assigned to lead his squad.

"No, Master Sergeant."

Holly seemed perplexed at the response.

"If he didn't run then how did Taulk end up with the carbine?"

Kyle felt his teeth grind. The situation had turned serious and Holly was not going to let it go.

"Master Sergeant, Staff Sergeant Percy and I collided during the initial enemy attack and took a tumble down an embankment. That is probably when he was separated from his weapon. Taulk was out to our left when the fighting started and probably came over to lend assistance when he saw us go down. I suppose that is when he recovered the weapon."

Holly continued to look at Kyle but his gaze was less penetrating. He carefully formed the question and then asked it.

"In your opinion, had your ranger not used that weapon to stop those riders, would your patrol have been in serious danger of being wiped out?"

Without hesitation Kyle answered.

"Yes, Master Sergeant."

Kyle was hesitant to speak his mind but decided that it was now or never.

"Master Sergeant, if my men had been issued carbines like us troopers, we could have easily cut down that cavalry detachment and I wouldn't have lost a man."

Holly gave a slow nod of the head.

"Fine. Just so you know your man was recommended for disciplinary action thanks to your friend Percy. The staff sergeant claims that after confronting the native about firing the weapon the ranger threatened to kill him. What's more, he said you condoned the behavior and did nothing to stop it."

Kyle was stunned by the revelation.

That son of a bitch!

Holly could see the shock.

"Oh yeah. One thing Percy didn't realize is how well I know you and your men, not to mention the question of how Taulk got his hands on the carbine in the first place. Percy's story became full of holes and unraveled shortly thereafter."

Kyle looked at his platoon sergeant with relief.

Thank god he's on our side!

"One last thing; looks like the leader of that cavalry you ambushed had orders on him written in Universal. Seems this almighty 'One' is determined to track down new arrivals at any cost in order to bring us under his influence. The orders contained maps and troop movements for a wing of the Horde and it looks like they're heading our way on the scale of an entire corps of cavalry. Just to give you an idea of what we're up against, the locals claim the parchment is made from human skin. I don't have to tell you about the ink."

Kyle had not seen the orders as they had been snatched up by Percy while the rangers buried Neel. Kyle decided to let the staff sergeant carry the intelligence items hoping it would shut him up for the time being and hopefully for the return trip home as well. It apparently had not.

So I guess we're dealing with a real head job here.

Holly stared at the trooper as the details sank in.

"Okay, fine. Report back to your squad bay and you and your men are to remain confined to quarters until further notice."

That was it. Kyle was surprised the debrief ended so abruptly. He stood, saluted, and exited the office on weak legs.

How is it that I'm still in one piece?

As Kyle approached his squad bay he passed by two troopers from 1^st Platoon. He noticed that they quietly veered out of the way, aware that it was out of place for neither to greet him.

They know I'm caught up in something hot again and they don't want to be near the lightning rod during the storm. Percy strikes again .

In the squad bay, his rangers were inspecting their booty, having already cleaned their equipment and filled their canteens. Taulk stood as he entered and Kyle waved the others to continue what they were doing. The rangers were eager to show their take to friends and families. Kyle himself had not grabbed a thing, as his hands were already full at the time. He glanced down looking at the hilt of the family blade, and thought of Neel.

I think I'm already carrying enough of a load as it is.

"How goes it?"

Kyle took a deep breath before he let it out through clenched teeth.

"I don't know. I think that Holly is going to do everything he can for us but we have to see what happens."

Taulk tilted his head right. Kyle looked him squarely in the eyes.

"Listen, I want all of you to answer any question they ask you to the best of your ability. I mean about anything including the carbine instruction and exactly what was said out on that patrol. If these people think we're hiding stuff from them they are going to skin us alive. I think that we just have to put our cards on the table and see what happens."

Taulk gave a gruff acknowledgement and Kyle could tell the others listened in. He found a place to sit and pulled out Neel's blade. As the squad prattled on in their native tongue and sharpened their weapons, Kyle thought about the man who had forged the knife. He wondered about the family of the ranger that would never see their loved one again.

We all should have been armed with carbines.

He did not look up as he spoke quietly to Taulk.

"Back when we first made contact with your people, a warrior was shot and killed after he attacked me. Do you know anything about it?"

Taulk thought for a moment.

"There were a number of hunting parties in the foothills out to search for the dragons. After several nights, word spread of foreign men in a valley of the mountain. This was of interest to us as there had been no unknown people here before."

"Word spread of a warrior being killed by a sling stone of tremendous power. The chieftains grew angry at the fear in their men and assembled the clans to destroy the foreigners and take the weapons for themselves. The one killed was not of great importance. He was just another man passing on in the spirit of a warrior."

Kyle looked at Taulk.

"After we shot the man we had to cache the body in order to come back for it later. When we returned it was gone."

Taulk nodded his head.

"As it was with Neel. We took the body to a safe location and buried it with dignity and prevented others from finding it. After you left, some of the warriors returned and did the same. In all likelihood they were family of the slain man."

Kyle nodded his head and thought back to the fateful moment.

"He died because I accidentally tripped onto him and he thought it was an attack, I think. He jumped me and was kicking my ass when they had to shoot him."

Taulk nodded again.

"It is good to know that a warrior can get the jump on you and fail to kill you."

Kyle was not sure that the one sided fight counted as a fair contest. He had felt the genuine camaraderie with the warriors in his squad and hoped the death of the man would not lead to trouble within the native contingent.

Later that afternoon Kyle tried to explain to the rangers basic infantry principles of the defense. Master Sergeant Holly's arrival interrupted the lesson. Kyle started to rise but was waved back down by the platoon leader.

"At ease, at ease, people....relax."

Kyle and the rest settled back down and all looked at Holly.

"The Lieutenant has come to a decision that all rangers are to receive complete training, equipment, and arms."

Kyle felt a tremendous weight leave his body as he looked skyward.

Thank you! It's about damn time higher made some sense after all!

"On one condition: All natives who want to remain rangers must enlist in the Army for a term of service of at least four years. By this I mean the regular Army, not this motley organization we currently have assembled here. If we ever get off this rock they will come with us. That being said, no native outside the ranks is to be taught nor instructed in any of our tactics and equipment. I catch a trooper doing that, I will shoot the bastard myself."

Kyle believed it.

I don't think I'm going to test that threat. But how can they just spot recruit foreigners into the military?

Holly read his expression.

"The Lieutenant has the authority to act on behalf of the Department of the Army in an emergency. Since we have had no contact with any home force since our initial landing, months ago, it has been deemed appropriate to establish an outpost here on this planet until pick-up can be arranged. Until then we will continue to improve our position and influence, as well as hold on to what we've already got."

Holly glanced at the various faces that stared back at him. The senior sergeant looked straight at Kyle.

"Now, since you took the liberty of starting the training, you have been tasked with the responsibility of instructing the rangers in the use of our small arms. That means extra work and long hours. You are personally responsible for making every last member of this company sharpshooters or the Lieutenant is going to handle you by your short hairs."

Kyle acquiesced.

So that's how the Lieutenant would have his revenge - force me to do extra duty. Fine. I'd rather be out there teaching these guys how to fight than shoveling out latrines.

"What's going to happen with Staff Sergeant Percy?"

Holly looked at Kyle and then smiled slightly.

"Sergeant Percy shouldn't be giving you guys any trouble. No one tells me a pack of lies and struts away without walking crooked. If he so much as looks at any of you sideways I want to know about it. Perhaps a little more time in the HQ cooker will show him the error of his ways."

Kyle nodded at this as Holly looked at everyone collectively.

"Right now there is a large force of Horde coming toward our mountain chain from the east. The Lieutenant realizes that we can move to good defensive positions and chew them up as they try to enter the foothills, but we're going to need every available man we can get our hands on. With the gross disadvantage the enemy has in numbers, and in light of your recent clash, we'll need a combat multiplier to tip the scales in our favor. Every man with a firearm is what the Lieutenant has decided. Oh, and Evans...? I would stay away from headquarters for the next few days if I were you."

With that Holly departed as unceremoniously as he had entered.

Kyle looked at Taulk who broke into a wider grin.

"Soon I will be a trooper too!"

Kyle smiled back as he slowly shook his head.

"Don't get too excited. I hear it's not all it's cracked up to be."

* * *

The next morning all the rangers reported to first formation and learned about the Oath of Enlistment. It was explained that any ranger who enlisted in the army would answer to the officers and cadre of the unit and not to the local chieftain. Any ranger who had not wished to enlist could still serve in the local militia as a scout or forager. It was also emphasized that should the Fleet arrive to take the company off the planet, all rangers were subject to possible extraction as well.

To the surprise of the troopers every ranger volunteered. Taulk later explained that the Chieftain instructed the natives to serve faithfully with the foreigners in order to become better warriors. In their new capacity the men would learn the ways of modern combat and thus be better at defending their homes and families. Kyle hoped when the Fleet did show up the natives would not be forced to leave their tribes, else there might be a mutiny.

An official Basic Training program for the newly enlisted men began the same day which started with ever popular head shaving. Several days of initial instruction passed without incident. Late one evening, as the hairless rangers rested in their squad bay, a loud noise shook them from their bunks. Kyle recognized the scream of a drop ship landing, and calmed the anxiety of his men as best he could.

"It's alright! Who wants to see a dragon in flight?"

Wide eyed, all of the rangers simply stared at him until Lemm slowly raised his hand.

"Follow me!"

Kyle led the man out to the low berm wall bordering their platoon area and noticed the others following at a slight distance. The high whine of the engines was deafening and the landing lights blinded them. Due to the darkness it was difficult to make out much detail of the craft. Kyle pointed out crew unloading material from the belly of the ship, returning several times for more. Taulk appeared at his elbow and spoke loudly in order to be heard.

"Is that the dragon?"

Kyle smiled and tilted his head in reply. Lemm watched the lights blaze as the troopers moved to and from the beast. The roar of the engines unnerved the other rangers, and the down draft blew stinging gusts of dust into their eyes.

The lights dimmed then disappeared, leaving only the sound of the engines, which increased in intensity. Kyle called out a warning and the natives shielded their faces from the harsh blast of air that followed. With a rush that shook the earth the drop ship leapt into the night sky. Silhouetted against the stars it made a fearsome impression. The rangers took shelter behind the berm with their shielded eyes locked on the monster in flight as it clawed away from them.

The roar and dust cloud quickly settled and from somewhere down the valley a groan echoed back to them. Kyle wondered quietly if it was a technique the pilots had somehow perfected as it sounded all too real.

For a long time afterward the rangers simply stared at the sky where the dragon had disappeared. Their minds tried to process the sight they had just witnessed. Not able to think any further, they rose to their feet without further conversation and walked the distance back to the squad bay in silence. As they climbed into their bunks Kyle doubted they would get much sleep that night.

Kyle walked back outside and squinted up into the sky carefully searching the new constellations for the invisible line he had been tracing each evening. Finding a familiar pattern of stars Kyle noted the galactic progression and made a rough estimate. Waiting intently for several minutes the specified light wobbled suddenly and disappeared. Grinning to himself Kyle felt some connection to their new planet and the heavens over it.

I know where you are!

* * *

The next morning after first formation the rangers were marched to the company Armory. Kyle halted his men and they awaited their turn to enter. At that moment a squad of warriors marched past singing an old native chant. When Kyle looked them over he understood why they were so happy. He gently tapped Taulk on the shoulder and pointed out that which the rangers carried.

Each of the warriors had a brand new rifle cupped with his left hand and braced against the same shoulder. Even though Kyle was not familiar with the longer rifles he knew exactly what Lieutenant Taylor had done.

The drop ships each had an internal module to support the different battalion level shop tasks. If the unit was left to operate independently of other resources the modules would allow the troopers basic critical services. From what Kyle knew the company had a Medical, Machining, and a Decontamination module available. It appeared the Lieutenant fired up the machining unit and cranked out a bunch of small arms for the rangers.

The squad was placed at rest with Taulk left in charge. Kyle was required to report to the Company Armorer, Sergeant Sanchetti. Once the other squad leaders had assembled, Sanchetti began his class.

"Alright, listen up. I am Sergeant Sanchetti and this is Specialist 5 Lewis. We will be your instructors for this block of instruction."

Lewis was standing off to the side in a position of at ease. His eyes briefly swept across the troopers assembled there. Kyle did not know him well but had seen him around the compound on several occasions.

"Today you will receive instruction on employing and maintaining the X12 Single Shot Air Rifle."

Single shot? What the hell is this?

Lewis held up the new weapon for the troopers to see. It was longer than the carbine by half a foot and a little more bulky. The stock was more pronounced and across it was a leather pocket holding eight individual projectiles. Sanchetti continued to speak.

"This weapon fires the standard issue combat projectile utilized by your carbines and machineguns."

Lewis pulled a projectile out of the pocket holder and held it up for all of the troopers to see.

"This was done to simplify supply and make your squad firepower cross loadable."

That's good. This way we can break down a projectile belt or brick and have enough ammunition for everyone.

Lewis took the projectile and placed it back in the leather stock pocket.

"Your carbines and machineguns are equipped with a Rapid Compression Unit. The RCU is what sucks in the atmosphere and builds sufficient pressure to force the projectile down the barrel and then chamber the next round."

It was an ingenious design of the weapon. Instead of hauling around explosive powder to create the pressure an RCU would do it instead. That being said, Kyle had no idea how the unit actually worked.

I'm just like my rangers. It's just another magical wonder of the modern age.

Sanchetti continued,

"The X12 does not have an RCU. The reason for this is that they are extremely difficult to manufacture unless in ideal conditions and at this point we do not have the sufficient raw material to make many of them. Instead, the firer will charge the weapon with a manual step up. He will do this by pressing the release on the side of the rifle."

Sanchetti paused briefly as Lewis tilted the weapon so that the troopers could see. He pressed a lever with his thumb on the neck of the stock where it met the receiver of the rifle.

"He will then take the weapon by the forward barrel grip and the base of the stock and charge the weapon by 'breaking' it toward him."

Lewis took the barrel in his left hand where it had external grips designed into the surface. With his right hand he held onto the butt of the stock which was shaped in such a way so as to give the firer a superior hold. Pulling the ends toward him Lewis 'cracked' the rifle in half on a hinge joint.

Kyle was not the most technically minded individual but the design made sense. This way a ranger could benefit from the strength of both arms to charge the main cylinder. In the event one of his arms was injured the soldier could still cock the weapon by placing the butt into his stomach and pulling with the remaining good arm.

"The X12 is designed to benefit from a hydraulic step up mechanism that achieves a ratio of twenty to one. This means that for the thirty pounds of pressure required to charge the weapon, the projectile will leave the barrel with six hundred pounds of force per square inch behind it."

This surprised Kyle. It was the equivalent of having the tip of the projectile balanced on your chest and the force of six hundred pounds dropped onto the base. Without a doubt it would easily penetrate the human body.

To reinforce this point Lewis inserted a projectile from the stock bandolier into the exposed chamber of the rifle. He then snapped the weapon closed by reversing the breaking action. He held the weapon in a firing position pointed safely off the stage. It was then that Kyle noticed a set of native armor wrapped around a large sand bag to the right.

"Demonstrator, fire when ready."

Lewis pulled the trigger.

*BLAM!*

Kyle observed minimal recoil and a firing report much deeper than the high crack of the carbines. The armor, which consisted of a shield and chest plate, jumped slightly with the impact of the projectile. Lewis held the weapon at port arms before placing it onto the makeshift table in front of him.

"Notice the lower report of firing. This is due to the lower PSI of the X12 compared to our carbines and machineguns. Even though the X12 packs much less penetration power you will note the effectiveness of the shot."

Lewis stepped over to the armor plate and slid it up and off the huge sand bag, propping both the shield and chest plate on the table for the troopers to inspect. Kyle could clearly see a pattern of holes in both items from this, along with previous, firing demonstrations. Specialist Lewis was only two holes away from completing a nice smiley face.

I definitely wouldn't want to be on the business end of one of those!

Sanchetti continued.

"The sand bags are filled with a mixture of bone and moist clay that resembles the density of a human body. You will notice that the shot failed to exit the sand bag."

Lewis held up the back plate of the armor which had no mark on it.

"This is the desired effect, as it means the projectile carries sufficient energy to penetrate the protection of the target and imbed itself inside the vital organs. It also guarantees a complete transfer of the projectile energy to the target and thus a greater chance of achieving a knockdown."

To Kyle the information was important to digest. His carbine could fire a projectile through two targets before burying itself in the third. Understanding the different capabilities and characteristics of the weapons would be crucial in determining where and how to deploy them.

"The projectile does not have the power to penetrate our standard combat plate armor. This ensures that any friendly fire or captured weapon fired at you will be defeated. This does not guarantee that the path of deflection will be safe since you are not wearing a full protective envelope."

Kyle exchanged a look with Corporal Wilcox sitting next to him. The mortar man raised his eye brows and shook his head soberly.

"The maximum effective range for a point target is two hundred meters. Again, the intent of the X12 is to give the native soldier a weapon that can out-perform the standard issue missile weapons they may come up against."

The next half hour passed with Lewis demonstrating sustained rates of fire and basic weapon maintenance. After Sanchetti answered general questions from the gathered troopers, each was given the opportunity to fire the weapon several times. When his turn came, Kyle found the cocking and loading a bit awkward, but gained a healthy respect for the accuracy and stopping power of the new rifle.

It's not a carbine but it sure beats the hell out of using a hand axe!

Upon returning to his squad Kyle took charge and marched the group over to the armory window. Each man beamed proudly as he was issued a new weapon, and Kyle could not help but smile himself.

It's just like Yule back home, with presents for everyone.

The rangers then marched to the firing range where Kyle demonstrated and instructed them on the proper firing technique. The next few days were spent plinking targets allowing the rangers to master the flight of the projectiles. Being that there were no bad habits to break, most of the men easily qualified with their weapon on the first try. Taulk and several others even made Expert with a perfect score at two hundred meters.

The rangers were then issued a basic load of sixty projectiles, bandoleer, cleaning kit, helmet shell, and combat web vest. Kyle showed the natives all the tricks and techniques that he knew for keeping the equipment in good working order. The natives eagerly absorbed every last detail and continued to hone their skills.

A few weeks passed and Kyle was reviewing the upcoming training schedule with Taulk when word arrived. One of the drop ships had been conducting high altitude reconnaissance sweeps to the east. The Horde had continued a steady advance across the steppe toward the mountains. Within several days the van of raiders would reach a small village nestled in a mountain pass. The only way to cross a large body of men over the steep foothills and into the valley beyond was through that village which dominated the terrain.

Historically the Horde would pass by the region every couple of years. Traditionally, the villagers would pay some form of tribute to escape the destruction wrought on the surrounding farms and people.

The rangers were traditional hunters and nomadic, so they would simply move inside the protective mountains whenever the Horde reared its ugly head. Even so, there were a few large raids that would strike deep into the valley. Most of the rangers had family that had suffered in one fashion or another from the living plague.

After more than a century of predictable calamity the Lieutenant finally decided to alter the natural order of things.

In order to stop the Horde from spreading into the valley and threatening the main post, the company had to occupy and hold the village in the pass. If the Lieutenant wanted enough time to prepare a defense he needed to conduct an emergency air assault within the next twenty-four hours.

Due to the nature of their traditional role the rangers were light on their feet and ready to move at a moment's notice. Once Holly received the order he directed Kyle's squad to join the rest of the platoon at the pick up zone. There the squad was given a chalk number which was the order in which they would load the drop ship. In the distance, the roar of engines rumbled up the valley and the rangers gathered behind Kyle in growing anxiety. This would be the first time they got to see the dragons up close and personal.

As the drop ship hopped up from behind a low rise to the south, Kyle turned to the men and signaled for them to stand. He made one last quick inspection to ensure all was in order and ready. The drop ship checked its descent and landed heavily on the flattened grass about fifty meters away. The shockwave of debris and dirt belted the rangers where they stood crouched against the gust.

The waist doors of the ship slid open as a crew chief stepped down the ramp to the ground and gestured to the Load Master. The Load Master turned from his position, pointed to Kyle, and signaled him to advance. Kyle ran up to the Load Master, confirmed his chalk number plus headcount, and then turned to motion Taulk and the rest of the squad forward.

Eyes wide and hands in a death grip on their rifles, the rangers obediently proceeded as one. It was obvious that the repeated rehearsal of mock loading and unloading in the squad bay allowed the petrified natives to keep their legs moving forward. It was the most frightening experience of their lives to date. Kyle led them at a quick pace toward the waiting doors and a free ride to the east.

As they neared the drop ship Kyle glanced at the fuselage and noticed a large playing card painted below the canopy of the craft. Above it, lettered in a swirling script, was painted the word Joker. Further forward a large serpent eye and half of a demonic grin completed the picture. From a distance it did indeed give the impression of a large beast looking for some mischief to inflict.

The Lieutenant would not be amused, but under their senior officer the aviators and crews vigorously made known their Fleet command structure was independent of the infantry. Although the two groups were quick to assert their professional barrier, this did little to effect the mutual support required for their joint survival.

The crew chief waved Kyle and the chalk into the troop compartment past a waist gunner sitting near the opening. The man wore a darkened helmet visor, sported a weak mustache and enjoyed a wad of something that was stuffed into his cheek. Inside the drop ship Kyle quickly led the rangers down the first available row of troop seats and settled them in. Even though he had rehearsed the strap down procedure with Taulk previously, it took a quick demonstration for the native to finally understand how to maneuver the various straps. Working in concert the two made quick work of their task and headed for their seats at the head of the row.

Kyle locked Taulk in and ensured all rifles were snug in the holders. Satisfied that nothing would shake loose during the flight, he sat down in the squad leader chair on the end and strapped himself in. Securing his helmet and donning the headset stored on the headrest, Kyle could hear the cross chatter of the crew as they finalized loading in order to begin their preflight check list.

"Chief, how many more we got coming on this run?"

Kyle glanced outside to his left at the crew chief who looked at a small data pad clipped to his chest.

"Looks like two more chalks, Boss. We're not hauling any equipment this run either so we're good to go after this."

"Roger Chief, tell them ground pounders to hurry it up or we'll make 'em walk the whole way."

"Roger."

The crew chief motioned vigorously to the last ranger chalks approaching the ship. Kyle glanced up toward the crew compartment doors that led to the cockpit.

Kind of a cocky little group now aren't we?

Previously, Kyle had seen a few of the flight crews around the company compound when they were between missions. There was more of a laid back attitude between the officers and enlisted men. Then again, there were only eight members assigned to each drop ship. As the only Fleet representation, they became a very tight knit community.

The last chalk which was lead by Rogers stumbled past. After a minute he reappeared and took his seat in line with Kyle. Holly came through the waist door and greeted the crew chief with a fist pound. Kyle grinned at this and could see that the man had a good rapport with the flyers. The platoon leader made several quick spot inspections before locking himself into a chair at the front of the compartment. Holly donned and then adjusted his head set whilst addressing the pilot.

"JOKER, this is ROMEO, we're in and ready to roll."

The crew chief also keyed his microphone.

"Roger Boss, we're good to go."

"Roger. Stand by."

With that the engines of the drop ship whined to full power. The frame of the craft shook with the intended effect of unnerving the rangers inside. Kyle felt his irritation rise.

Son of a bitch! It's hard enough to get these guys into the damn ship in the first place and you just have to torment them!

The crew chief smiled from his seat, and again, keyed his microphone addressing the nervous squad leaders to his front.

"Hang onto your seats boys, we're going for a ride!"

The man hit a button on the console overhead and loud heavy rock music blared out from the speakers in the bay. With a thundering roar the engines drove the drop ship skyward with a crushing force. The rangers inside clung desperately to anything they could get their hands on despite being strapped in. The bored expression on Holly's face did not change a bit as he sat through yet another joy ride provided by the rocket jockeys up front.

During the entire ascent the only thing Kyle could hear over the music and engines were the terrified screams of the rangers trapped helplessly inside.

* * *