Planetfall

[jammi]

Nole was ready to hit the surface. Hed donned his Hazard suit and been issued his rifle, the SA-90 A2 GP Rifle workhorse of the Bretonian Royal Army. After checking that all functions were green he stepped out and proceeded to one of the cargo lifts that had been built into the facility for convenience of moving goods and large numbers of personnel up and down from the first level. Both sections were awaiting him there.

Good evening Sir. I trust youre ready to move? That was Corporal Andrews, leader of 1 Section, A Platoon. That put him at the tip of the spear. Leader of the second section, Corporal Mills stood at his side.

Indeed we are Corporal. This will be a standard patrol gentleman well be following the route as laid out by Pile HQ, understood? Both men nodded and stepped back, ready to brief their teams.

The route would lead around a segment of the perimeter, an attached Pile technician checking the defences of each part as they encountered each defence battery. The total patrol distance would equate to just over 3 miles. The signaller voxed to the lift control room, causing the platform to rise, carrying its cargo of 20 soldiers steadily upwards.

***

The view out of the masks visor was grainy, obscured by the swirling smog and dirt. There was a perpetual twilight in this part of the Wastes, which cast odd shadows and played tricks on the eyes. Noles flicked through various overlays thermal then light amplification. Neither had any positive effect, the thermal particularly coming out as a scrambled mess.

He checked the safety catch on his rifle was on, then ordered the two sections to move on, each spaced a irregular distance from the other. After several minutes, the technician indicated theyd reached the first battery. He slipped through the doorway of what appeared to be an abandoned building to check the working parts of the anti-air missiles that it contained.

There were a few minutes of silence as soldiers warily watched the swirling mists around them. Then there was an urgent beeping from Noles communicator. It was from Pile HQ...

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