HELLDIVERS:The Chance Meeting

Cheri Cheri Lady

Yet again, through the fog and darkness of Malevelon did Helldivers and Marines march. The joint patrols of Sergeant Veratti and Sergeant Johnson rolled on through the murky water, rifles at the ready just in case the Bots decided to pop up from the treeline up ahead. They were wet, ass-deep in nasty alien water and feeling all sorts'a crap dancing around them in the water.

Alessia listened to the distant thumping steps of the enemy patrol and their song, sung to match their cadenced march. As they climbed out of the water, the Marines and 'Divers took cover behind the thick trees, watching the enemy moving forward. A squad of SEAF Infantry lay on the other side, armed with Liberators and break-action shotguns from the looks. They gave waves of the hand, to which Alessia gave them an 'OK' sign with her hand and showed them to wait.

She radioed, "Eagle-1, I'm getting you Coords. Drop hot..." before tapping her tacpad again. She primed the beacon, threw it and landed it square in the midst of the Bot Patrol, surprising them. Marauders, Troopers and every other member immediately prepared to swivel about and engage, but Eagle-1 was quicker on the draw, her engines roaring as she swung in low, dropping a full payload on the bastards. As she arced back up into the sky, she dumped flares, rising into the heavens.

She sighed, relieved they had the woman on station, before motioning to the group of SEAF Infantry to march their way. The leader of the forward platoon raised his hand and approached, saluting and stating, "Ma'am. 4th Colonial Defense Militia, Corporal Miles. I'm the highest-ranking survivor of the Bots' assault on our position and am here to give the report you asked for on the way over."

"Send it," She replied as her men and Sergeant Johnson's pulled security.

"Hostile force disposition marks one tank platoon and possibly six infantry platoons, including support from heavy mechs, ma'am," The soldier replied as he cradled his Liberator, "They pushed us out of an artillery site we built up right over that ridge and overwhelmed an Air Defense system just North of that. If you're here for the jammer they set up after we were dropped off here, it's North-West, so if you wanna hit all three sites..."

"Thanks, Corporal. You can either back us up, or you go another klick back the way we came and you'll have a radio to contact Command. We dropped in from our Destroyers and RV'ed with the Sergeant and his Marines there," Alessia tilted her head to Johnson. She felt a hand tap on her shoulder and looked back to see her AT Gunner, asking, "What's the matter, Cadet Lindt?"

"We got incoming armor, ma'am. Suggest we duck and prep for ambush," Tomas told her as he hefted his launcher. He looked to Rado, the man carrying the launcher's ammo pack, before stating, "I think we got a perfectly good ambush position here. If all else fails, we still got a direct link to Eagle-1 and can call her in to rain hell on the bastards..." to which the Sergeant nodded.

"Set up, then. There, there and there. Get rifles at the ready. Corporal?" She nodded, motioned to the target positions in the shrub, then turned to face the SEAF Infantrymen. Though several of them looked battered, they all nodded, packing their gear and loading up. Several even had disposable Anti-Tank launcher tubes with them. She nodded approvingly, then showed them to rally up and set up their weaponry.

Johnson complimented, "Ready fighters if nothin' else, the SEAF."

"They're holding the line in most parts of Malevelon," She admitted as they moved to ambush positions, Johnson rallying up his own AT Gunners with their Jackhammers to support Tomas Lindt and Radomir Harper, his loader. The team medic, a rather new arrival and close friend of Radomir, Helena Häkkinen, readied her medical gear, her white armor already covered by the black muck of this place.

Taking a knee, the group listened for enemy movement, weapons at the ready. Slowly, the ground began to rumble as treads crunched the rocks and hardened dirt. It was still far enough away for the group to have time for a chat. A Super Destroyer exploded up above, shining a dim, short-lasting light over the future battlefield ahead as Tomas and Radomir prepared the AT launcher.