[Location: Norris VIII-A]
[Time: 1245 hours, Federation Standard Time]
"Christ! Dammit, do you have to do that now?!"
"I'm sorry Captain, but if you don't sit still and let me do this now, you'll probably bleed to death before we get back to the surface."
Captain Ronald Spiers took in a quick, sharp breath as the medic from Third Platoon worked with a primitive set of tools to close an open gash down the Captain's leg. Moments earlier it had taken four men to hold the Company Commander to the ground as the medic removed a large piece of durasteel shrapnel from the wound.
The Captain had lost a good amount of blood from the wound, though he had been lucky enough not to sustain anything more serious. When the charges had detonated Spiers had been thrown up and over a large cargo container (a piece of which had become the projectile that had ended up in his leg), and aside from the shrapnel and a few bumps and bruises from other flying debris, he had been protected from the explosion itself.
Second Platoon, however, had not all come out so lucky. Less than two dozen of it's members had, up to this point, survived the assault. Seven members had been killed by blast from the power generator station. There were a number of other injuries, however the medic had taken care of everything he could and had them move on.
A moment later, between grinding teeth, Spiers asked, "What about Winters? Did First Platoon get it done?"
As the medic cut the piece of string that had just been threaded through the Captain's skin to close the wound, Second Lieutenant T'Shal replied from her position a meter away, "First Platoon was successful in taking the communications facility; however, they are currently under siege. Without further external support, it is a logical conclusion that they will fail."
"Where are those damn fighters?!" he shouted, more so from the pain shooting through his body as he was heaved from the ground than from real anger. "We were promised air support once the defensive grid was down."
It was Sergeant Jalanak who answered this time, "If the communications system was still operational, then it's a safe bet Winters and his gang has gotten a message out. If not, well…too bad we're not Klingons."
No one said a thing, but both Spiers and T'Shal raised eyebrows in the Sergeant's direction.
"I mean, after a fight like this I don't see any of us being denied into the afterlife."
With a shake of his head and slight grunt as they began to move him down the corridor, Spires called out to those around him, "Everybody needs to double-time it back to the surface. First Platoon is going to need our help, and I don't want to be late."
"I'm sorry, Captain, but I must refuse your order," T'Shal said, not looking at him as they carried him. "I will, of course take the remaining units to assist in holding the facility; however, it would not be permissible to allow you to participate. You are in no condition to enter combat."
The Captain was incensed, though he said nothing. A soldier's duty was to complete the mission, no matter the risk to his own person. He had made a career of that basic truth. And now, in the middle of a war, on a battlefield against an enemy that outnumbered his people nearly five-to-one, he was supposed to simply find a safe spot and wait for extraction?
Finally they came to the lift shaft that had been initially used to go down the 14 levels below the surface. With the power out the lift was inoperable, and carrying him up the shaft was out of the question.
Staff Sergeant sighed as he looked over at Spiers, "Looks like we're taking the stairs, sir. I hope you don't mind some exercise."
"A transporter would be the most preferable alternative," T'Shal interjected, already moving them towards the entrance to emergency stairwell. "However, given the lack of -any- other alternatives, the stairs will have to suffice."
Grunting between pain-filled steps, Spiers could not help but chuckle, "I couldn't have put it better myself, Lieutenant..."
=/-\= End Log =/-\=
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Marine Captain Ronald Spiers [NPC apb DK]
Company Commander, Easy Company
2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st MEF
Second Lieutenat T'Shal [NPC by DK]
Platoon Leader, Third Platoon, E "Easy" Company
2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st MEF
Staff Sergeant Vish Jalanak [NPC by DK]
Platoon Sergeant, Third Platoon, E "Easy" Company
2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st MEF
