Post by lShadowMonkeyl on Dec 29, 2012 18:30:57 GMT -5
A little operation called Forgotten Thorn in Japan was my first real wakeup call that we were indeed, in trouble. I’m gonna go back a little so this makes sense, or at least is able to be pieced together.
I along with other friends from even middle school had been drafted to an unheard of organization called XCOM. We thought XCOM was going to be a dream of the federal government and not a legitimate worldwide deal. I personally looked into the military, mainly the National Guard, but I didn’t want to do this line of work I have found myself in.
We went through some pretty intense training, being taught to fight “enemies unknown”, never knowing what we were going to deal with day to day. After training we all thought we were going to sit on the shelf and be a government bluff or novelty, not really doing much to earn our nice pay checks, just sit there looking professional. When we got started, the gung-ho guys wanted nothing but action, but we the smart people, we didn’t want any of it. I would have been happy to sit there and clean my rifle than go out there blowing up anything in sight. But I guess people like that, that mind set, is how me and my good friend Donny Miller, got stuck with the two most elite teams in XCOM. Intelligence pays off I guess.
Donny and I were able to pick and choose who we wanted to have, who we work best with. We have a pretty good system worked out with all of us. I even get to watch my girlfriend’s back out there. She says she watches mine, but whatever.
Operation Forgotten Thorn
7:50 a.m.
Jake comes crashing through my door. “It’s go time bro!”
I role over and face Ross. “Where we goin’ Jake?”
“You expect me to know? You’re the team leader bro!” He turned and left, almost slamming the door right in my face as I was right behind him. My first mission and I’m almost killed by my own squad member.
7:59 a.m. Briefing Room
I walk in with Jake on my other side. Seabass and Erin are already there. Seabass starts to laugh and I ask him what’s so funny.
“Chris only you would be late for your own squad’s first mission.”
“Don’t look at me Seabass! Where’s everyone else anyway?”
Seabass continued to talk to me while the commander was getting quite agitated, being ignored as if he wasn’t there. “They don’t have to come in. It’s only the four of us right now. They’ll pull in more of the squad as ‘the need arises’.”
Erin didn’t seem too happy being the only girl on this trip, with three other guys that really weren’t that close to her at all. I was getting agitated with having so many options but being only able to take four including myself. This would go a lot smoother with all my boys. “I don’t know what they mean, ‘as the need arises’. We’re at war, isn’t that all the need I need to unleash Hell?”
The commander was furious and sending me a look letting me know it. He knew I was probably going to give him shit the whole time, but I was going to give it to him until I was removed, or my complaints addressed. I cooled down now, because the sooner this was over, the sooner I could go to bed or do whatever. “Alright Commander, what do we got?”
“Alright, glad to see you’re done. The Raven 4 intercepted a UFO and downed it not far from here. All you four have to do is go in and clear out the wreckage. Kill all hostiles, try not to blow up too much. Have fun you kids.”
I nodded my head slowly, I knew this was going to be a big ball of fun. “Well isn’t this just lovely?”
8:18 a.m.
We filed onto the small ship and waited for takeoff. Inside we checked ammo and gear, making sure our load outs were good to go for the quick trip we had ahead of us.
I just finished strapping on my steel chest plate as my quiet neighbor for years sat next to me on the bench. “Chris, Melanie’s really upset about this.”
“Erin, honestly I would have tried to talk her into staying if she would have been scheduled to come. This is our first mission and I don’t know what’s going to happen out here. I don’t want anything happening to her while I try to get my feet wet.”
“Well however you feel, she thought it would be easier for me to say good luck to you. She thought it’d be easier on you. And I bet she’ll be the first one in the hanger waiting for you when we get back.”
The drop ship touched down lightly, telling me to grab my rife and hit the door. The door dropped and I rushed out with Seabass, Jake, and Erin behind me. “Go, go, go. Grab any cover and stay low till I say.” We had to be careful, not knowing anything about the forest terrain of this random patch of Japan. I didn’t know Japan had any forest left. It must have been one of those small islands Japan loves so much.
My watch read 8:42 a.m. and I was in no means of hurry. I wanted precision and safety more than anything. It’s like my dad said. ‘Want it done quickly, or want it done right? Either way I ain’t the man for the job.’
As the squad leader I moved first, moving from tree to rock formation, Seabass behind me acting as my partner, Jake being teamed with Erin. Up ahead I could see the UFO already, and these weren’t exactly stealthy aliens either. I couldn’t get a clear shot, but on my first job, I wasn’t going to give him one, so I pulled a frag grenade and blew him away, keeping safe. My first kill was under my belt, and I hoped it wasn’t the last. Not that I liked it, but it was better than going down myself.
Jake ran to the tree and dropped hard to the ground below where the alien had been. The second one moved and Jake took his shot, hitting the Martian-like creature, not finishing it, much to Jake’s annoyance.
Erin moved up behind Jake, taking position behind the rock cluster I had used for my first kill. She followed my suit and finished him with another frag. We seemed to really be having luck with frags. As long as we had enough frags, and Jake didn’t do anything stupid, we’d be in fine shape. The doctor or the main research leader back at base came on over my headset, telling me to try not to blow them all to Hell. But unfortunately for her, the safety of my team was more important than a computer. I’ll use all the frag grenades I want.
I kicked the door of the UFO and I rolled in, over watching and waiting for alien movement while my team moved in. The ship seemed surprisingly empty, and this kind of bugged me. It wasn’t empty, and I damn well knew it.
Seabass went to the door at the back of the lobby. He kicked it open, and with his luck, gave a Martian a face full of rifle. Jake was getting really pissed at this point. “Damn it Bess! I spray and only wound him, but you drop him with one burst! What are these shenanigans?”
“Jake, shut up and let’s get this done.” I didn’t want distraction coming over us when I could feel we were so close.
Jake over passed me feeling like he had to prove something, being the only one without a kill. He was in a different room then us, double timing to get the last alien. I wasn’t there, but Jake swears that this huge alien just materialized in front of him.
The rest of us were sprinting to catch up to Jake, sacrificing all security for speed. It kind of reminded me of the Last of the Mohicans on Uncas’s last rampage. We heard a small explosion, and we all stopped, fearing the worst. Then Jake came out smiling and laughing. “I made it go boom and it broke a bit.”
I started laughing but was honestly quite pissed. “Damn it Jake, don’t ever do that again, and that is a direct order. Let’s call home and pillage this bitch.”
We were headed home and on the ship, were congratulated with Strike Team 2’s first successful excursion. Not only this, but we were given actual combat roles and had jobs to fulfill with specialized equipment.
The ship touched home and the door dropped open as I had my last gear packed up. I was the last in, the last off, the last in again, and the last off again for the final time this trip. This is how I planned to do it every time.
I stepped off the carrier and Melanie was there waiting for me with a big grin, happy to see me in one piece. I didn’t try to show it, but I could feel my face was already there too, with the same stupid smile, happy to be back.
I along with other friends from even middle school had been drafted to an unheard of organization called XCOM. We thought XCOM was going to be a dream of the federal government and not a legitimate worldwide deal. I personally looked into the military, mainly the National Guard, but I didn’t want to do this line of work I have found myself in.
We went through some pretty intense training, being taught to fight “enemies unknown”, never knowing what we were going to deal with day to day. After training we all thought we were going to sit on the shelf and be a government bluff or novelty, not really doing much to earn our nice pay checks, just sit there looking professional. When we got started, the gung-ho guys wanted nothing but action, but we the smart people, we didn’t want any of it. I would have been happy to sit there and clean my rifle than go out there blowing up anything in sight. But I guess people like that, that mind set, is how me and my good friend Donny Miller, got stuck with the two most elite teams in XCOM. Intelligence pays off I guess.
Donny and I were able to pick and choose who we wanted to have, who we work best with. We have a pretty good system worked out with all of us. I even get to watch my girlfriend’s back out there. She says she watches mine, but whatever.
Operation Forgotten Thorn
7:50 a.m.
Jake comes crashing through my door. “It’s go time bro!”
I role over and face Ross. “Where we goin’ Jake?”
“You expect me to know? You’re the team leader bro!” He turned and left, almost slamming the door right in my face as I was right behind him. My first mission and I’m almost killed by my own squad member.
7:59 a.m. Briefing Room
I walk in with Jake on my other side. Seabass and Erin are already there. Seabass starts to laugh and I ask him what’s so funny.
“Chris only you would be late for your own squad’s first mission.”
“Don’t look at me Seabass! Where’s everyone else anyway?”
Seabass continued to talk to me while the commander was getting quite agitated, being ignored as if he wasn’t there. “They don’t have to come in. It’s only the four of us right now. They’ll pull in more of the squad as ‘the need arises’.”
Erin didn’t seem too happy being the only girl on this trip, with three other guys that really weren’t that close to her at all. I was getting agitated with having so many options but being only able to take four including myself. This would go a lot smoother with all my boys. “I don’t know what they mean, ‘as the need arises’. We’re at war, isn’t that all the need I need to unleash Hell?”
The commander was furious and sending me a look letting me know it. He knew I was probably going to give him shit the whole time, but I was going to give it to him until I was removed, or my complaints addressed. I cooled down now, because the sooner this was over, the sooner I could go to bed or do whatever. “Alright Commander, what do we got?”
“Alright, glad to see you’re done. The Raven 4 intercepted a UFO and downed it not far from here. All you four have to do is go in and clear out the wreckage. Kill all hostiles, try not to blow up too much. Have fun you kids.”
I nodded my head slowly, I knew this was going to be a big ball of fun. “Well isn’t this just lovely?”
8:18 a.m.
We filed onto the small ship and waited for takeoff. Inside we checked ammo and gear, making sure our load outs were good to go for the quick trip we had ahead of us.
I just finished strapping on my steel chest plate as my quiet neighbor for years sat next to me on the bench. “Chris, Melanie’s really upset about this.”
“Erin, honestly I would have tried to talk her into staying if she would have been scheduled to come. This is our first mission and I don’t know what’s going to happen out here. I don’t want anything happening to her while I try to get my feet wet.”
“Well however you feel, she thought it would be easier for me to say good luck to you. She thought it’d be easier on you. And I bet she’ll be the first one in the hanger waiting for you when we get back.”
The drop ship touched down lightly, telling me to grab my rife and hit the door. The door dropped and I rushed out with Seabass, Jake, and Erin behind me. “Go, go, go. Grab any cover and stay low till I say.” We had to be careful, not knowing anything about the forest terrain of this random patch of Japan. I didn’t know Japan had any forest left. It must have been one of those small islands Japan loves so much.
My watch read 8:42 a.m. and I was in no means of hurry. I wanted precision and safety more than anything. It’s like my dad said. ‘Want it done quickly, or want it done right? Either way I ain’t the man for the job.’
As the squad leader I moved first, moving from tree to rock formation, Seabass behind me acting as my partner, Jake being teamed with Erin. Up ahead I could see the UFO already, and these weren’t exactly stealthy aliens either. I couldn’t get a clear shot, but on my first job, I wasn’t going to give him one, so I pulled a frag grenade and blew him away, keeping safe. My first kill was under my belt, and I hoped it wasn’t the last. Not that I liked it, but it was better than going down myself.
Jake ran to the tree and dropped hard to the ground below where the alien had been. The second one moved and Jake took his shot, hitting the Martian-like creature, not finishing it, much to Jake’s annoyance.
Erin moved up behind Jake, taking position behind the rock cluster I had used for my first kill. She followed my suit and finished him with another frag. We seemed to really be having luck with frags. As long as we had enough frags, and Jake didn’t do anything stupid, we’d be in fine shape. The doctor or the main research leader back at base came on over my headset, telling me to try not to blow them all to Hell. But unfortunately for her, the safety of my team was more important than a computer. I’ll use all the frag grenades I want.
I kicked the door of the UFO and I rolled in, over watching and waiting for alien movement while my team moved in. The ship seemed surprisingly empty, and this kind of bugged me. It wasn’t empty, and I damn well knew it.
Seabass went to the door at the back of the lobby. He kicked it open, and with his luck, gave a Martian a face full of rifle. Jake was getting really pissed at this point. “Damn it Bess! I spray and only wound him, but you drop him with one burst! What are these shenanigans?”
“Jake, shut up and let’s get this done.” I didn’t want distraction coming over us when I could feel we were so close.
Jake over passed me feeling like he had to prove something, being the only one without a kill. He was in a different room then us, double timing to get the last alien. I wasn’t there, but Jake swears that this huge alien just materialized in front of him.
The rest of us were sprinting to catch up to Jake, sacrificing all security for speed. It kind of reminded me of the Last of the Mohicans on Uncas’s last rampage. We heard a small explosion, and we all stopped, fearing the worst. Then Jake came out smiling and laughing. “I made it go boom and it broke a bit.”
I started laughing but was honestly quite pissed. “Damn it Jake, don’t ever do that again, and that is a direct order. Let’s call home and pillage this bitch.”
We were headed home and on the ship, were congratulated with Strike Team 2’s first successful excursion. Not only this, but we were given actual combat roles and had jobs to fulfill with specialized equipment.
The ship touched home and the door dropped open as I had my last gear packed up. I was the last in, the last off, the last in again, and the last off again for the final time this trip. This is how I planned to do it every time.
I stepped off the carrier and Melanie was there waiting for me with a big grin, happy to see me in one piece. I didn’t try to show it, but I could feel my face was already there too, with the same stupid smile, happy to be back.