Frenemies

[Toaster]

"Sergeant O'Connor, you're with Verlent and Jones," Major McNillan said.

"Sir, yes sir!" the Sergeant replied. He looked over to the two marines the Major had named. They were hunched over half a dozen weapon crates, choosing from the rifles and sidearms with in.

O'Connor marched over to them.

"Hey, Sarge!" Private First Class Verlent called as he saw him approaching. Corporal Verlent only muttered a barely audible greeting.

"So, what do we have here?" O'Connor loomed over the crates, peering at their contents.

"Three see-kyoo-arr's, four ey-emm-fourteen's, and six 'poons," Verlent replied enthusiastically. The Sergeant reached into the first box and pulled out one of the CQR43 rifles. He shouldered it and peered down it's length, sighting and imaginary enemy.

"Take a see-kyo-arr and an ey-emm-fourteen each. Two harpoons too," O'Connor muttered.

"Understood!" Verlent saluted.


* * *

"Alright, O'Connor's Alpha Team will board first and move directly to the engine compartment. Hages' Beta Team will move to the crew quarters and arrest anyone they encounter. I'll take Gamma Team to the bridge and secure it," McNillan briefed the marines in the cargo bay of the Liberty Navy Gunboat Helios. "Any questions?"

No one raised their hand.

"Good."

"Hard-link to the transport in twenty seconds," the Helios' captain announced over the speakers.

"Lock and load," one of the marines murmured.

A pneumatic hiss reverberated through the bay as the gunboat attached to the transport. Slowly, the bay doors opened.

"Go, go, go!" O'Connor shouted and he and his men stormed into the blockade-running ship. Rifles shouldered, they ventured into the large cargo bay. The lights were out, so they activated the lamps on their helmets and guns. Behind them Beta and Gamma team moved towards the doors leading to the crew quarters and the bridge respectively.

"Kinda dark, Sarge," Verlent muttered under his breath.

They reached the door that lead to the engine compartments and O'Connor pushed the button on the wall-pad beside it. There was a quiet beep but the door didn't open.

"Damn it..." he said.

He looked around quickly. Then he aimed his CQR43 at the pad and fired a burst of three shots. Bolts of blew energy tore into the computer, melting its circuits. The doors slid apart.

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Olivia Sable