Colony of the Crimson Flame

Chapter III
The clip responded with a satisfying click as Private Angatar slid it into the underside of his BR55 Battle Rifle. With a sign, Angatar moved his gaze to the back door of the pelican dropship. He frowned as the ship began to rumble and slowly smooth out again. The speaker at the front of the ship crackled to life, but Angatar kept staring at the door.

“Sorry about that; these birds just keep getting more and more stubborn. I’m Mereel, you’re pilot and radio support for this operation.”

A shuffling noise sounded through the open bay of the pelican as the radio changed hands.

“You all know your job,” said Angatar’s sergeant, Bilco, over the speaker. Secure the path to the engineer bay, or at least that’s what they told Angatar.

“Ready to party?” Angatar turned to the voice to see his fellow squad member Private BBJynne nudging Private Bacon. Bacon gave BBJynne an angry glare and BB turned away to face Angatar. “What about you, Ang?”

Angatar replied with an over-emphasized shrug to make it visible through the thick ODST armor. Not one member of their squad was an orbital drop shock trooper, but that was the only air-tight armor available, and there was only enough for seventeen. This would have been a problem if Pieman, the sixth member of Angatar’s squad, hadn’t been locked up. This left five sets for Theta, his squad; six were for Foxtrot, the engineer squad; and six for Charlie squad, who would continue to recon the ship while Theta and Charlie moved up to the engineer bay to pressurize the hanger that they would land in.

The door at the front of the ship, behind Angatar, slid open and Angatar spun around. Passed the sergeant, who stood in the doorway, he could see the cockpit of the dropship. “Seal and pressurize your helmets,” instructed the sergeant as he lifted his own jet-black helmet out from under his arm and on to his head. Angatar did the same.

The helmet came down on Angatar’s shoulders and snapped into place. It soon began to hiss as the suit began circulating his oxygen supply. He glanced at the gauge in the bottom right corner of his visor, his oxygen tanks were full with ten hours worth of air. Each soldier gave Bilco a thumbs up to indicate that their tanks were full and their suits air-tight. Angatar did the same.

The mikes on Angatar’s armor picked up on the speaker’s sound as it came to life once more. “We’ll be entering the Covenant hanger in thirty seconds. Scanners show all clear.”

Bilco responded over the radio, “We’re all set back here.”

“Copy that.” The next thirty seconds were the fastest and slowest of Angatar’s life. “Touchdown! Opening rear door; prepare to exit.”

The door to the pelican’s bay spat out steam as it slowly lowered to show a charred and barren Covenant hanger. Theta squad marched out of the dropship in single file and fanned out around the pelican. First BBJynne, then Bacon, Bilco, CivBase, and finally, Angatar.

Angatar heaved a sigh of relief as the magnets of his boots clanged against the hanger floor. Even though his boots were a size too large and there was no gravity, he was more than happy to be out of the ship and back on a surface he could control. The sergeant lifted his MA5B Assault Rifle to show the strap that connected his gun to his suit. CivBase fumbled with his strap, trying to connect it to his suit as Angatar and the rest of the squad lifted their guns to show that they were connected. If they let go of their weapon, there would be no means of retrieving it.

A loud cracking noise startled Angatar and he spun around, bringing his rifle to bear. In front of him, two more pelican dropships slowly slid through the blue-purple field that separated the hanger from the depths of space. The shield clung the edges of each pelican as they glided through.

“Hold your fire, soldier,” said Bilco, calmly, “they’re ours.”

Angatar kept his eye on the dropships as they found their own areas in the hanger to land. Aside from a few small, purple supply crates scattered about and a three-level balcony crawling along the walls, the hanger was mostly vacant. There was only one ship in the hanger, tucked in the back right corner. It was a spirit dropship, easily identified by its U-shape and turret mounted at the rear underside of the ship; nothing more than a transport for Covenant troops and supplies. Even with the turret, the ship was hardly a threat to anyone other than un-armored infantry trapped out in the open.

The inside of the U-shape section of the transport, where an anti-grav field was usually present, was still had glowing patches of gold strewn about almost at random. “That bird’s still hot,” reported Angatar, pointing at the spirit.

Bilco turned his head to look at ship. “Keep your eyes open." He motioned towards the clam-shaped door at the far left end of the hanger. The squad formed up and marched towards the door at a comfortable jog.

Upon reaching the door, the white lights dotting the door flashed twice and the door split in two, opening to revile a short, purple hall. Bilco looked at Private Bacon and nodded once. Bacon readied his assault rifle and slowly walked down the hallway, followed by the rest of the squad.

Immediately after Angatar passed into the hall, the door closed behind him with a quite hiss. The squad made its way down the hall and turned right as the hall changed directions. The door’s lights blinked once and faded from white to red.

Looks great, now MAKE MOAR NAOW!!!!!!!!

Looking good Civ.

Went with the "Theta-Charlie-Foxtrot" idea huh? lol

You should totaly have someone say "Sir, you don't need to shout over the radio." or something like that.

Maybe "yelled" is a bad word...

Cool, I'm in command over BBJynne.

capn qwerty wrote:You should totaly have someone say "Sir, you don't need to shout over the radio." or something like that.

CivBase wrote:Maybe "yelled" is a bad word...

well sounds like something i would say if i read it right i AM radio support

Angatar wrote:Cool, I'm in command over BBJynne.

No, you're both squad members.

I like it. Can I haz part?

Maybe

CivBase wrote:Maybe

KK's

Make More story!