Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on Jan 31, 2014 16:34:30 GMT -8
As Dominik Malsk took a seat against a small rock ledge, Ander appeared seemingly out of no where behind him. He rested his rifle against the ledge and sat down next to the younger man. The commander was silent for several long moments, then through the vocoder in his helmet, Ander spoke. If you're going to run off like that, it's best not to disconnect your buy'ce from the interlink. Your positioning icon drops off everyone's HUD...gives you away.There was no emotion in Ander's words, only a sense of stated facts. He looked over at the recruit, the T-shaped visor of his helmet glowing dully.You're Dominik Malsk. Ander said. It wasn't a question. Average kid Coruscanti human. Raised by both parents. Ran away from home at fifteen, claiming you wanted to be a hero fighting the good fight on Coruscant. You've always dreamed of being a Jedi, but never been picked up by the Order. You think you're strong, and never give up without a fight. You've always thought you had to prove yourself to others, and you work for the people.Ander let his words sink in for a moment, recanting the details of Dominik's personnel profile Ander had received when the boy had been recruited. You're the kind of person we look for, Dominik, but you've got a longer road ahead of you than you think. Had the young man been able to see Ander's face, he would have seen a furrowed brow and lips pursed in thought, a face etched with concern. Being a GALSAF commando isn't like being a Jedi, or any other kind of soldier you'll find in this Galaxy, ad'ika. Dominik might not recognize the Mando'a word child, but even so it didn't sound like an insult. If anything, it was a subtle form of praise. The commander remained silent for several moments before continuing.I need you to trust me. I need you to trust your fellow recruits. I need you to trust the methods I'm using to mold you into the commando you want to be. And that means sticking to the script. The real battlefield is different, and there's room for special people, but here in training, we all have to toe the same line, or we won't be ready for the real battlefield.Ander looked out at the sparse land around them, tilting his helmeted head off into the distance. Out there, we'll never be safe. Once we show the Galaxy what we intend to do, we'll be shunned by almost every government and organization there is. Our methods and ideals don't fall in line with the Jedi, the Sith, or the Republic. They'll hate us for taking them all to task. That's why we need to be ready. Because the greatest enemies out there aren't the slavers, or the drug pushers. It's not the thieves or the murderers or the rapists. It's the beings in the Galaxy that think they're way is the best way. Ander fell silent yet again, considering his next words. Don't ever run off like that again without letting someone know. As a GALSAF commando you are your own man and you make your own choices. But when you're involved in an operation, security is your first concern. You never wander off. If anything were to happen to your unit, you would be unable to help them. If anything were to happen to you, they would be unable to help you. Never for a moment believe you don't need help.This time when he spoke, Ander's voice was tinged with anger. It wasn't overt, it was subtle. It wasn't anger at being defied, but anger that boiled from the depths of his memory as he recounted losing several soldiers in his time that had done exactly what Dominik just had. They'd wandered off and ended up dead. Forcing the anger down, Ander pushed himself to his feet and reached for his rifle, gesturing for Dominik to do the same. Get your gear, and grab five other recruits. Tell them to bring their gear. Keep quiet about it and meet me in the center of the field base in five minutes.
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Zimmy
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Post by Zimmy on Feb 1, 2014 13:47:26 GMT -8
Ander hadn’t lied. The training was brutal, but Zimmy was fairing much better than he expected. While he had never gone through training so rigorous, he had been raised from a young age to fight and hard work was no stranger to the boy. The Devronian who found Zimmy and his fellow orphans (whom Zimmy simply knew as master) attempted to indoctrinate them, to use them as his pawns in an ill-conceived attempt at galactic dominance. Zimmy’s master had given the young Firrerreo a sword at the age of four, had trained each of the orphan’s bodies to the peak of physical performance, had turned each child into a killing machine before they were able to understand the concept of death. Life for Zimmy so far had been work. His first memory was running on a track his brothers and sisters had cut through the jungle, spurred on by stings spat from a device in his master’s hand.
The ideas Ander spoke were all familiar ones. Guns and armies made them frightening and confusing for Zimmy. The sheer number of people involved in this operation was upsetting to the boy who knew of but a handful of people until eight months ago. Even amongst his adopted brothers and sisters, he had never felt comfortable. This situation was a continual strain on his psyche. He wanted to seem confidant and strong without looking conceited or brash. He was not green, but many of these men and women had seen real combat, some against the empire, some the Trade Federation, some had fought on planets he’d never see against enemies long dead and forgotten.
The order to set up camp was a balm to Zimmy’s aching mind and body. He offered to take first watch after the gear was stowed or set up, several of his peers moving to their mats or tents for rest. The night was still and the ventilated air in Zimmy’s helmet was stale. The boy flipped through training logs and weapon specs, pausing after every sentence to sweep his gaze across the landscape. After one such glance, he noticed a green blip move into the woods on his HUD. Alerts started going off in the corner of his eye as the commandos closest to the blip reported the mishap. A minute later, Zimmy sent in his own report as his eyes caught the movement of a helmet between some shrubs. He thought about following, but decided to stay put until he was ordered to do something. No need for several troopers to waltz off into the woods to go after one soldier disobeying orders. Zimmy’s watch continued, quietly for now.
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Dominik Malsk
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Post by Dominik Malsk on Feb 6, 2014 7:10:26 GMT -8
*Dominik listened intently as Ander spoke to him. All he could do was nod his head to the man. Once he stood up, the boy took up his rifle, hands shaking. He wasn't nervous or scared, but he had trouble thinking on what Ander had planned for him and a few others. He couldn't imagine what was going to come, but he tried to shake his mind off of the negatives. He picked up his gear and looked around at the many people who were here for about the same reason as his own. He noticed Tatham, the girl who i the three man group with hm hours before. He made his way to her and kneeled down so he could whisper to her.
"Hey.. are you awake?"
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2014 7:46:18 GMT -8
*Kaytra woke with a start and began to grab for her rifle. Her hand stopped short when she saw who it was.*
::Yeah, I'm awake. What do you need Dominik?::
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Dominik Malsk
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Post by Dominik Malsk on Feb 9, 2014 14:53:47 GMT -8
*Dominik hesitated to speak, but began to speak after a short inhale of his own scent. He winced at it and tried to not let it affect his voice.*
"I was wondering if you and a few others could help me with a 'special' thing Ander talked me into. If you're alright with that?"
*He hoped Kaytra knew some other guys that could help him with this. He could probably grab Zimmy too, but only if he had to. Zimmy seemed to keep to himself, like a shadow. Smart, but not normal when social conversation was likely needed for their experience.*
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2014 19:03:05 GMT -8
*Kaytra got to her feet and thought about what Dominik Malsk just said.*
::Yeah. I'm alright with that.:: *She thought about who else she could ask. Her mind went to Max, the clone who had helped her earlier. She was willing to bet that he would help. Kaytra then turned her attention back to the other commando.* ::What is this 'special' thing he wants us to do?::
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Dominik Malsk
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Post by Dominik Malsk on Feb 10, 2014 13:21:18 GMT -8
*Dominik scratched the back of his helmet and sighed. He had to be honest to her. Plus, its not like he knew anything different at the moment.*
"I honestly don't know. As far as I know, he could be setting up my personal execution. But its not likely to be his first option."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2014 8:46:55 GMT -8
*Kaytra gave a low laugh when Dominik Malsk told her he didn't know.*
::Afraid you've stepped on someones toes already?:: *She then turned and began to head towards the center of camp.* ::Come on. Lets see if we can pick up some others along the way.::
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Zimmy
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Post by Zimmy on Feb 12, 2014 15:33:21 GMT -8
Zimmy rolled his shoulders, listening to his joints pop. His muscles were tired from a lack of movement He had been standing, alert, for the better part of two hours and the muscles in his lower back were killing him. He was used to all sorts of work and training and it never occurred to the boy that doing nothing could be more strenuous on his body than hours and hours of training. He had spent days at a time honing his skill with a blade, learning to free run, hiding from his siblings and building shelters when he was a child. He was also unaccustomed to the boredom.
Usually, training captivated Zimmy. He would pour his being into his work and make it his, make it the best he could. This training demanded so little of him at times that he almost wanted to quit and go shack up with some mercs. Other times, however, it reminded him just how important it would be to his survival. Already, the barrel of his rifle followed his gaze. He had picked up how to operate his HUD and helmet functions very quickly and continued to use some of them unconsciously. He was running some functions in his helmet that spoke common Mando'a words at him so he could begin to better understand the language. There was just as much beauty as brutality to the language. It was like a blade, made only to kill, but beautiful in it's own right.
Zimmy's nostrils flared as he breathed in, sucking the stale air recirculated through his helmet into his lungs. He wasn't quite used to the smell of sweat and machinery yet, but it didn't really bother him any more. He rolled his shoulders once more, placing his rifle back in a ready position, scanning the trees and bushes around the camp for any activity, gun barrel following his gaze. He hoped that something would happen. He hoped that Ander had planned some activity for them. Surely there were some more experienced soldiers under his command that could take them by surprise, let them actually test their new found skills. Zimmy used his tongue to select a new file which displayed itself in the corner of Zimmy's eye. The boy was going over the technical manuals for each of the devices they had or would be using during this expedition, trying to learn them inside and out.
It helped to pass the time.
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Dominik Malsk
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Post by Dominik Malsk on Feb 18, 2014 12:43:00 GMT -8
*Dominik could only nod at Kaytra, since she seemed to willingly take the lead. He stood up straight and held his rifle steady in his hands when he looked at her.*
"I'll follow you, then."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2014 18:05:38 GMT -8
*As Kaytra and Dominik headed towards the center of camp, something caught Kaytras eye. A short distance from them stood Zimmy. Slowing her peace, Kaytra changed course towards the younger soldier.*
::Hey Zimmy. Dominik says Tagira is needs several of us for a something, not sure what but it sounds important. So you coming?::
*She didn't wait for his response. Instead she continued making her way towards the center of camp, gathering up the clones Max and John along the way. Several minutes later she found herself in the middle of camp where Dominik said they were supposed to meet.*
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Zimmy
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Post by Zimmy on Feb 19, 2014 13:56:33 GMT -8
Zimmy was surprised by Kaytra's interruption. He was a few pages into the manual for the shuttles they would be working with in the coming days. Before he could respond to her request, she was off (to find other volunteers presumably). He gathered his pack, reported to his CO and the units stationed nearby that he was leaving his post, and followed the woman, trying to keep pace. He was a little nervous. He knew Ander was a good man and an apparently brilliant leader, but volunteering wasn't Zimmy's style. He did what he was told. His master had drilled that lesson into him quite literally. The punishment for disobedience was pain, either his or one of his siblings and usually power tools were involved. Though Kaytra's request Ander had ordered so Zimmy would obey.
The young Firrerreoan stood just beside and behind Kaytra, waiting for the others to show up.
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on Feb 20, 2014 15:03:05 GMT -8
The Lord Commander hadn't moved since sending Dominik Malsk off. As they returned to him, Ander looked the group over, flipping through the various filters on his visor for no real reason. @kaytra had endured some conflict between her prosthetics and her helmet system earlier in the evening, though apparently one of the other recruits had helped her resolve the issue. That was good, relying on one another was one of the things Ander was hoping to foster in GALSAF's commandos. The group approached, consisting of the previously mentioned pair, the Firrereoan Zimmy, and two of the Clone War vets, Max and John. Ander quickly checked to ensure they brought their weapons and gear, then began pulling several magazines out of his gear pack and handing a pair to each of the recruits. Before he spoke, Ander linked the recruits into a private commchannel via their helmets.These are stun rounds. The rest of the Brigade has been issued the same ammunition. Swap these with your live fire loadouts. Make absolutely sure you do not have live rounds loaded into your weapons. Leave your live ammunition here at the patrol base. Check each other's weapons to make sure, use your night vision filters to see.. Ander waited for the recruits to complete the task before he continued. As you know, we've split the Brigade into four different Battalions. Because we do not have enough trained personnel to take on the positions of Company Commanders and Platoon Leftenants, we'll be operating mostly by squad-sized elements for now. Our target tonight will be one of the company sized elements from Third Battalion. They are located roughly five kilometers ahead of us along the travel route.Ander activated an overlay of the terrain map on his HUD, which appeared on the rest of the group's own visors. As you can see, Third Battalion's marker icon rests about five klicks ahead of us. If you focus in, the icon will change and all three company sized elements will be separately marked. Our target will be that nearest company sized element.Ander reached for his rifle and pressed the magazine release, pulling the live rounds from the weapon and stowing them in his gear pack. Then he pulled the short-stocked charging handle and caught the shatter gun round that ejected from the chamber with the same hand. He dropped that into his pack as well, then loaded one of the stun round magazines. We're going to take this slowly, one step at a time. Look at your maps, observe the terrain. Think about how METT-TC would be applied here. We have six soldiers, you five and myself. I'll be acting as squad leader. Zimmy, Kaytra and Max, you will be Able Team. Dominik, John and myself will be Baker Team. We are attacking a company sized element, which means we are vastly outnumbered. Normally we would not conduct such an operation under these odds without armor or artillery support, but this is a training exercise, so we'll have to make due. Ander looked around, seeing the rest of the recruits in the company either asleep or with partners at security positions on the perimeter. As Ander continued, he marked a yellow dotted line on the HUD map, which would appear on the group's visors as well. We're going to make our way quietly and slowly South-West. We'll go around the South side of this hill, getting as close as we can. Baker Team will provide what is called a 'support by fire' line. Support by fire is a position that remains stationary, overlooking an objective. SBF provides overwatch, sometimes bounding or traveling as we discussed earlier. They're job is to provide covering fire and observation of the objective for the advancing element. Able Team will be the flanking element, or the assaulting element. They're job is to make a loop around the objective, coming up on the enemies' weakest side. Once both Teams are in position, the assaulting element, Able Team, will cut through the objective, taking out as many of the enemy as they can. Always remember to identify your next piece of cover and notify your fellow team members before advancing. You always want to have covering fire from your allies, or at least let them know you are moving so they don't shoot you on accident. After the initial fires are over, the assaulting element cuts through the objective, taking out any enemies still alive and in fighting shape. Once they have crossed the objective, and are outside the support by fire's sector of fire, they will establish an objective border line, or OBL. There they take up security positions and the support by fire team will advance through the objective, doing the same thing the assault element did, and establish an OBL perpendicular to the assault element.As Ander described their task, he drew out an example on the shared visor link. The enemy position was marked in a red triangle. At the hill, two icons, labeled "SBF" and "AE" appeared side-by-side. The "SBF" icon remained in place, and two red dotted lines began to grow outward, away from the "SBF" icon marking both sides of the enemy position. Next, the "AE" icon began to move away from the hill, around in a circle until it stopped outside the red dotted line on the left. After a moment, the "AE" icon began to cross through the enemy position before stopping outside the red dotted line on the right where a solid blue line appeared running up and down. Next, the "SBF" icon moved forward and crossed the target area, and a similar blue line appeared on the far side, perpendicular with the "AE" icon's line.It's simple, but will take some getting used to. This is a basic flanking maneuver, assaulting an objective. I'll walk you all through it as we go along, but for now we just have to cover that five klicks to the hillside. Ander clipped his rifle to his shoulder and gestured with his hands, splitting the group up into its two teams. He stood beside Dominik and Max, then turned and began walking off into the night, leaving the patrol base perimeter.Keep your night filters on, do not use any external lights. That includes glowrods, datapads, anything. Follow me, keep your spacing. I'm in the middle, Able Team on my left, Baker on my right. Ander kept a slow pace until the group caught up with him, glancing up at the sky as thunder began to roll through the upper atmosphere. Moments later, rain began to patter against the plates of his armor, slowly turning the dirt ground around them into mud.
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Zimmy
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Post by Zimmy on Feb 20, 2014 20:56:34 GMT -8
Zimmy worked his rifle is practiced efficiency, letting the clip slide into his hand. He placed the piece of plastic on the ground before toggling the gun's action, spitting the remaining round into his outstretched hand. He had been practicing that one during his free time. Some of the older vets would do it when they were bored, like the way cheesy gangster always play around with credit chits in the holovids. He figured that he would learn how to do it too. He had the reflexes and the time. He dropped the round next to the clip and slammed a new clip home, chambering a stun round with ease before returning his rifle to it's ready position. Zimmy tapped the side of his helmet until the world through his visor was bright green and black. His nicitating lenses blinked a few times as recycled air blasted his face. No longer did the air smell of chemicals and age, it held his scent instead.
Zimmy listened to Ander closely. He hoped that this exercise would give him a chance to Impress the GALSAF leader without trying too hard. He had never actually participated in war games, but if it was anything like his fencing training he would shine. His small frame and quick feet gave him all the advantage he would need in this situation. Stick to the shadows, just like master taught him, stick to the shadows and let fear confuse the enemy. His childhood training had taught him that one trained individual was worth a battalion in the right situation. The boy hoped that this would be one of those situations.
Plan fresh in his mind, eye on his HUD and rifle aimed forward, always looking for an opportunity to spit, the young Ferrerreoan stepped forward, falling into a wedge formation, Max and Kaytra between himself and Ander. His body was loose with anticipation, muscles ready to strike. He tensed his shoulders and popped his neck, feeling his sinew tug and stretch. This was the closest thing Zimmy had experienced to combat. He hoped that all of his training, all of his study, all of his hopes and dreams would not let him or his squad down.
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Dominik Malsk
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Post by Dominik Malsk on Feb 26, 2014 17:51:50 GMT -8
*Dominik only followed Kaytra to the center where Ander waited for them. He was surprised to see two of the clone veterans join up with them, but they didn't seem like the type to fool around either. Dom followed Ander's orders to the letter, switching his ammunition and leaving his live rounds at where they stood. He ticked n the night vision and blinked for a few seconds so his eyes got used to it. He listened intently on the commander's flanking strategy and tried to wrap his head around the plan. Being young and not having a good education made it hard for him to understand some of it, but he knew he would get it once it went down. But for now, he stuck to Ander's right with John, keeping the steady pace. He did his best not to make noise within the mud, but he knew the bouncing off the armor would make more noise than a foot in the mud.*
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Squadron 99
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Post by Squadron 99 on Feb 26, 2014 18:04:52 GMT -8
*John and Max only nodded to Kaytra as she told them the plan, with Max walking over and John getting up and stretching his rifle over his head. John activated the private channel for his squad and spoke into the microphone of his helmet with authority.*
John: -Thomas, Rick. You two stay here. Max and myself are going on a 'field-trip' with some others. Make sure this place is well guarded. And I'll know if one of you are sleeping.-
*John then walked over to the group and knelt down as he listened to Ander with Max also on one of his knees. They noded there heads to almost every instruction and Max soon looked at John as if he expected his leader to know what Ander was talking about. John never gave Max a response, but he did get up and take the lead on the right with Dominik behind him. He was silent to the end and waited for Ander's next order. The rain bouncing off his armor moments later was just a passing thing and as he stepped in the mud he only blinked his eyes as a flashback hit his mind, forcing him to groan at the memory.*
*Max couldn't understand John's reasons for leaving him hanging. Maybe 10 was in the moment of Ander's orders and wanted to follow them to every movement. Max made sure his helmet's lights were shut off and activated his night vision and took his left position with Kaytra and Zimmy. He could understand the jist of the commander's plan, but he began to wonder about the purpose of the exercise. Was this to teach them the basics of flanking and taking out enemies with single movements, or did he want to show his leadership skills with the help of himself and John? He couldn't think about it for too long as he noticed John had never activated his night vision. Following every order was now out of the question, especially with the groan his squad leader made when the rain began to fall. Was John having a flashback of the Clone Wars?*
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2014 15:18:26 GMT -8
*Kaytra replaced all her live fire rounds with the stun rounds Ander Tagira gave them. Then activated her night vision. In her mind things were starting to get a lot more exciting. She stayed on Ander Tagira left as they made their way out of camp. Her boots sank into the mud and covered her armor, but she didn't mind, she had grown up doing this sort of thing.*
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on Mar 19, 2014 22:52:56 GMT -8
Ander waited for the ad hoc group of recruits to be ready before he signaled them forward. He took the lead for the time being, keeping low and quiet in the dark of the night, his rifle held at a somewhat relaxed position, the barrel angled towards the ground several feet in front of him. Familiarize yourselves with your buy'ce, recruits. The three-hundred and sixty degree view may be disorienting, but you'll get used to focusing in on specific areas at a time when need be. Ander continued onward, reminding the recruits here and there to maintain their loose formation and keep proper spacing in between one another. They quietly approached the hill Ander had designated on the map, and just as the ground began to slope upwards, he signaled them all to drop to their bellies. From here, we crawl. Stay low, keep your ass down, and your weapon ahead of you. Move slow, steady. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Able Team, shift to the left, closer to the lower end of the slope. When we get into position, you'll need to be able to move around the target formation to flank them. Baker Team, stay on me. Ander was already on his stomach, feeling the roughness of the ground against the breast plate of his armor. He continued scanning, but would not call out anything he saw, expecting the recruits to get the practice doing it themselves. The ground began to slope upwards as he crept forward, checking the positions of the others around him every few moments, ensuring everyone was progressing properly.
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Zimmy
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Post by Zimmy on Mar 24, 2014 10:35:25 GMT -8
Zimmy moves through the underbrush as a hawk-bat between cables and buildings. He knows how to move silently, but his suit helps him, recommending where he set his feet and which steps he could avoid. Twice it caught a twig he was about to snap and helped the boy to change his course. He stooped to a crawl when Ander directed him, trailing off with the rest of Able team towards their objective. He glanced down at his rifle and toggled the action, glancing into the chamber. A round was loaded, it was a stun round. His helmet wasn't lying. Zimmy slows with the rest of his team, readying himself for the assault. Standard cover to cover. No biggie. You've done harder than this, he thinks to himself, but he's still nervous.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2014 19:09:17 GMT -8
*Kaytra dropped to her stomach when she was told to. She could feel the mud and stones beneath her as she crawled forward. Making her way farther left as she was ordered. Every few feet she would stop and scan what was ahead of her, not just with her eyes but the sensors in her helmet as well. She crawled for several minutes before coming to a dead stop, waiting for the others or the order for a the go ahead.*
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