57 Serina - War Games (2/2)
After that simulation where Lance and his team was wiped out, Lance suggested that we modify the craft to let us eject from tubes, sort of like Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers did.Betty, the ships science officer, and Erin our chief engineering officer figured out a way to make it work.
As the Ellcee passed through three thousand feet, all tubes ejected Marines or decoys.While the Ellcee attempted to land, attempted is the key word here, the 'enemy' wisely took out the Ellcee before it had a chance to unload its cargo of Marines.
I tried to find Tori and Alaina, but I could not see them.I resorted to listening….
”Doc, They remoted that disrupter, adjust your drift to the building to the southeast. The roof is clear, let's land there.”
”Roger that Hawk, adjusting my drift now.” And Doc adjusted her arms and legs so that she moved in the right direction. ”Hawk, are we going to land hot?”
”Correct Doc, let your suit calculate the fastest decent path and run with it.”
”Roger Hawk, I will comply.”
Now I found them as their thrusters sudden flamed and I watched them touch down on the roof, landing as if they were Superman in that last movie about him a few years before we left, or would it be better to compare their landing to the way ironman landed going to one knee?
Tori may be the leader, but in a fight, Alaina took over. She seemed to find booby traps with an x-ray vision. I watched them vanish down the roof access hardly pausing to disarm the mine that was the hidden booby trap.
I wished that I had thought to send in my virtual drones before Tori and Alaina started to rampage inside the building, as by the time I got eyes in there, most of the action was over.
Ninja-like, they had quietly infiltrated and disabled or knocked out by concussion every marine found on the way down to ground floor. I only saw the last battle with Joy, one of my daughters, and Alaina's adoptive mother.No mercy!There was a flurry of arms and legs intertwining, and suddenly Joy was laid flat and unconscious.
”Doc, I'm going to suggest that we circle and come in from the side that does not face this area. When their communication checks fail, they will know that we were not wiped out in the Ellcee. Their sensors will be focused in this direction. Let's go around, keeping it low.”
”Hawk, You're the strategist, lead, and I'll follow for now.”
”Thanks, Tori,” and I saw Alaina dig in and take off in long low jumps. The two had been practicing this move as it is much harder to do than you would expect. Looking in on the other platoon I noticed that Alaina had nailed it, everyone had focused on the building where the fixed mount disrupter is located. They had piled up multiple shields to protect them from disrupter attacks. Then I saw the action as Alaina and Tori swooped in from the rear and started to pick them off one by one. No mercy. One hit and their targets were out of commission and unable to send out an alert.Tori and Alaina were a perfect match as a team. Too bad that they were each squad leaders, as they would be a dynamite team.
I called recall as the last member of the platoon was put out of action. There was a lot of friendly kidding as everyone gathered for the debriefing. I saw Joy seek out Alaina and give her a big hug. Joy was so proud of her adopted daughter.
I entered virtual reality from the bridge and started in with the breakdown of what they did right and why we were not following the book.It was going to be a lengthy debriefing…..