=/-\= Begin Log =/-\=
Location: Norris VIII-A
Time: 1120 Hours, Federation Standard Time
"To the left! Second story!"
"I see him! I see-"
"Medic! Medic! Maan's down!"
"Damn it, Lang! We can't advance until that position is taken out!"
"I'm workin on it, sir!"
"Get it done!" Lieutenant Dick Winters shouted over the sound of phaser blasts and disruptor fire. "We don't have time for this!"
"Fire in the hole!"
A moment later the entire side of the building across the street exploded in a blue ball of fire, sending bits of pieces of debris flying up and out, shattered by the blast of a pair of photon grenades. Mixed in with the front wave of the blast were a pair of Romulan bodies, who had until then been perched in the top of the building with a heavy repeating disruptor trained on the platoon's position.
"On your feet!" Dick called out as he jumped up from behind his cover. "Let's go!"
The group of men ran in towards that building, a swarm running through the streets as they returned suppressing fire against the Romulans that had begun to surround them. As they huddled in their new location, he could see the base of their target, as well as an entrance. "T'San, S'rat," he called to his pair of Vulcan tech specialists. "Get over there and get that door open! Second and Third Squads, covering fire!"
As the smaller group departed for communications bunker, Gunny Randleman shuffled over from the back end of the line, "We've lost six so far, including Maan." Dick turned around to look at him but his sergeant cut him off, "Took one of the chest. There was nothing to be done."
Shaking his head, the Lieutenant turned back to the Vulcan's working across the way. Behind him and to the left the Romulan soldiers were working their way up towards the Marines, the latter using the alley way that Winter's and his men had entered the compound from. "Alright," he said, looking around for better cover than the debris of a half-destroyed building. "Set Chott and Goren into this building."
The Bolian and Human men were Dick's best snipers; if anyone could get them some good cover fire, it would that pair. "I want them facing east. Once we're far enough up, I want those buildings blown, cut off the alley way." If the Romulans could be redirected to less of a flanking position the platoon would be much better off. "And get me Captain Spiers!"
It only took a moment before the communications specialist returned with a hand-held device designed to cut through interference and background noise. Winter's took the device and held it to the side of his face he shouted into it, "Captain! Are you there?"
It took a second for the handheld's signal to bounce back the reply, "Winters? Report!"
"We're nearly there," he said, turning to keep an eye on the encroaching enemy. "We've met some pretty strong resistance though. Any luck on that power source?"
"We think we're nearly there!" came the static-filled reply. "We're about half a kick under the surface, following what appeared to be a maintenance shaft. Energy signatures are steadily getting stronger. We should be practically on top of this thing!"
Not wanting to be pushy, the Lieutenant worded his reply very carefully, "The sooner the better, Captain. We could really use some air support right about-damn it!"
"Winters? Winters?! Report!"
Dick had fallen onto has back as an emerald-hued blast had some flying in his direction. Panting as he pulled up an arm, he could see smoke rising from a smoldering patch on the shoulder of his cold weather gear, a large patch burnt out from a near-miss. Reaching for the device, which had been dropped to the ground as he fell, he replied, "Sorry, Captain, they just about got me with that one."
"Just give us another couple minutes, Dick, and you'll get what you need. Spiers, out!"
Handing the device back to the specialist, a young Corporal, Winters turned back just in time to see his Vulcan techs open the entrance to the seven-story bunker. With a determined grin he lifted a hand and signaled for the men remaining on the ground to move forward, "Everybody into that building! First squad, you've got point!"
Once again leading the charge, Dick sprang to his feet and took off across the snowy ground. He passed between the two Vulcans as he entered the warmth of the building, followed closely by the rest of his unit. Immediately he noticed a pair of very surprised looking Romulan Centurions and, with a pair of well placed phaser blasts, dropped them both onto the ground.
The rest of the room was empty, filled mostly with cargo containers and equipment designed to move the containers from location to location. There were two exits from the room, a stairway leading up into the floor above, and a corridor leading deeper into the ground level.
"Regroup!" he ordered, crouching down behind one of the crates as he waited for the rest of the platoon to enter the building. As soon as everyone had gathered inside the Vulcans returned to work, this time to seal the door from outside entry. Any delay against the enemy's advancement would be appreciated. Looking to his sergeant, he smiled at Randleman, "Now for the fun part."
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Second Lieutenant Richard Winters
Platoon Leader, First Platoon, E "Easy" Company
2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st MEF
