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RP: 4th Fleet (NSN) [Mission 2.1] Hiking

Zack

Zack

Inactive Member
[Mission 2.1]

Nepleslia prime was warm this time of year, a dry heat permeating the landing area near Mount Kloper where the marine shuttle had landed. This planet was very unlike Nepleslia, it had fresh air, no starships flying overhead, and a clear view of the sky that stretched out in all directions save for the small sliver that was blocked out by the mountain that separated the beginning of the hiking trail from the NAM proving grounds on the other side. The spare trees that provided some shade would thin out towards the top of the mountain, giving way to rocky terrain and eventually the smoothed out peak of the mountain. A small glint of light at the top was the only hint that a flagpole was there.

A basic map of the trail was posted on a sign nearby, showing a path that winded up through the forest, passed through a small cave system, and went over the peak of the mountain down to a small base camp on the other side. It also showed that there was a security station on the peak of the mountain, part of the security for NAM’s proving grounds that lay on the other side of the peak.

“Ugh, it is hot already,” Harm said as she stepped out of the shuttle, wearing tight fitting tan shorts, a white T, and a tan boonie hat over her head. On her hips were canteens and energy bars while on her back was a massive cooler of drinks that made a loud sloshing noise every time she moved around. “How bout I just fly up there and wait for you guys?”

Wazu would get off next, wearing a green tank top along with the new cap, “I think it is kinda nice.” He said, “It will get warmer as it gets closer to noon too. Drei is predicting temperatures close to 100 degrees.” For the first time in a while, Wazu would put his datapad down, clipping it to his side and picking up his backpack. “And you will be walking just like everyone else.

“I thought you weren’t going to come?” Harm asked.

“I think it is best if I am away from things for a little while. I am not looking forward to the next NNN news cycle.” Wazu replied, waiting for Pheadra to disembark before adding,

“I will trust you with getting the squad organized to move out.”
 
Stepping out of the shuttle could be best compared as stepping out of a frying pan . . . and right in to hell. Peering out from beneath the peak of his cap, Cedric watched as the others began to get off the shuttle (with Harm and Wazu leading the way). He was wearing a pair of his cargo shorts, with his canteen in his belt, his pack on, and the various pieces of equipment (food, change of clothes, machete, sleeping bag, and tent kit) were kept on the pack he was wearing. He was wearing a white t-shirt in hopes to simply throw off any excess heat. Of course, when Drei's very cheery forecasts became public knowledge: the Sapper's hopes of having a pleasant first day plummeted. Cedric looked as Phaedra hopped off the shuttle and Wazu told her to get the squad in order. Taking to his role as the squad's Number Two, he looked back to the shuttle, and began performing a head-count as each person got off of the shuttle: even the new mercenary.

If Phaedra needed anything from him, then she would probably ask.
 
Trotting off the shuttle after the first group Sawyer came down with his iaw and his designated marksman rifle slung, with his pack full of gear with a water bag hose sticking out the top and laying on his shoulder, and his styrling :45 holstered on his belt, magazines in his mag pouches, wearing a khaki pair of shorts and a green t-shirt he grinned upon hearing the forecast, "sounds like a great day for a hike to me. Anybody want a hand, I'm here to help. C'mon ya'll it ain't nothin' but a bit o' heat, makes for good training. I mean if you get cold you can put more clothes on, with some good ole heat you can take some of them off, and if ya need to ya can jump on into the crick and cool yourself off" Sawyer said with his drawl becoming somewhat more pronounced. Looking at harm seeming to have some issues with her cooler sawyer sidled next to her and asked "ma'am would ya like some haylp with that there cooler?"
 
Phaedra stepped out of the shuttle, excited about the trek ahead.

“I will trust you with getting the squad organized to move out,” said Wazu.

"Roger that, sir," replied Phaedra with a salute.

Phaedra pulled out her datapad and made a quick drawing of the trail map before replacing it on her belt. She slung her rifle case over one shoulder and then stepped towards the front of the line. She noticed Cedric already taking a head count and she nodded in approval.

"Alright Marines, we will head up the trail in a single column. There is one thing I want to instill in your minds as we take this journey: Teamwork! We stand as one, or we fall as one! Lets move out!" said Phaedra with a wave of her arm. She turned and began jogging up the trail.
 
Avel was among the last to step out and unlike the others, she had chosen not to wear the outdoor uniforms. Instead she had simply torn off the sleeves of her marine uniform, carried her usual weapons and put on some shades. She didn't give a damn about the heat, the human body was adaptable to all environments anyways.

But she had taken the equipment she was assigned such as the canteen, food bars and camping equipment. She had requested a some extra food and water bottles, just in case it wasn't enough. Stuffing her face was one of her favorite past times.

When Phaedra ordered them to move out Avel stuck to the rear of the line. She wasn't in the mood for talking. She was curious why Wazu was with them. Anybody who spent most of their days on a ship ordering fleets around and designing things couldn't be in very good physical shape.
 
“Nah, I got this.” Harm replied, despite being what looked like a skinny woman, she had genetically engineered muscles to rely on. Once Phaedra was on her way, the weighted down Harm was right behind her, able to easily keep pace on the rocky terrain, “This way you at least have a shot at outrunning me!” She yelled back at Sawyer.

Wazu, meanwhile, checked his boots, pulling the straps tight one more time before reaching for a bottle of Neko’s Cream suntan lotion to spray over his exposed arms. He would then take off after Phaedra. He certainly was not as fast as the other marines, and would slowly start falling behind the rest of the group. It did not help that he had taken a bunch of pain killers before heading out, since his leg’s cybernetics were still bad, causing his run to look a bit awkward as he moved along the trail.

“The first teambuilding…” Wazu started to say, taking a breath as he continued to run,

“exercise is just….

A few minutes away…

from the landing site…

at a full run…”

That particular team building exercise was about a mile up the mountain. The dirt trail that winded through the trees would slowly start to increase its incline as the group made its way through the trail. It would eventually level out at a near vertical cliff face that would rise a good 30 meters before leveling out onto another fairly flat running trail.
 
"Heh I like a challenge" Sawyer replied as he took off as well while singing cadences to himself. " " little yellow birdie with a little yellow bill landed on my window sill, I lured him in with a piece of bread and then I squashed his mf'ing head, I like mine with lettuce and tomato, heinz 57 and french fried potato. Not even sure what heinz 57 even is"
 
"Aren't you neppie types supposed to get tired out by running? More so when you're singing?" Harm ended up asking.
 
"Not me, I like running, how are you doing? I like singing cadences it lets me run better and frees up my lungs to get more air" Sawyer replied. Looking back at the lady he the back he turned around while running and ran backwards looking at her and said " come on now at least keep up, don't fall back. If you need I'll run by you to encourage you."
 
"Reign it in, Private!" Cedric could be heard from near the back.

Cedric was near the back of the column, still keeping up a steady pace, and keeping an eye on everybody in the unit. As much as he didn't want to be "Big Brother" telling the "little people" what to do, he couldn't have an over-confident Private showing off. Especially so early in to the training routine. Cedric kept up his pace, keeping an eye on those in the column around him, like Avel who was hanging near the back, and the others. Other than that, he focused on matching pace with the rest of the column and keeping an ear out for any orders that might come from Phaedra or Wazu. Unlike some of the other members of the squad, his only real weapons were his HHG and his machete. He highly doubted they would need that much firepower.
 
Avel looked down at the small thin man who was jogging next to her. She was not in the mood for talking unless it was part of the training exercise. Perhaps he would leave her alone if asked nicely?

"Look, I'm not in the mood for talking unless it's part of the training exercise." She began and then looked behind her. As predicted, Wazu was falling behind and looked like he was going to have a stroke.

"Actually, I think Wazu is the one who needs assistance. I better go help him before he injures himself." She said and marched over to the admiral further back. "I had a feeling this might happen. When's that last time you got any actual exercise?"
 
Hearing Cedric and listening to the obviously angry lady Sawyer barked "Aye staff sergeant" and trotted back to his original position near Harm and continued to jog with her.
 
“Yeah, we don’t want to have to pack you up when you trip over a log and die.

That happens with you neppies a lot from what I understand.” Harm teased

---

“I will live…” Wazu managed to say,

“I do not…

Normally run…

On this leg…” Though he had started out at a good speed, he was already starting to slow a bit more in comparison to the other marines. Though he certainly looked physically fit, there was a mass of cybernetics and other problems under the skin that were slowing him down.
 
"Well then I just will have to not die on you now then. I mean no reason to make a lovely lady like yourself carry more "dead weight" pun intended than necessary" Sawyer replied as he lengthened his strides a bit to keep up the pace.
 
"I raided the old man's liquor supply," Harm reminded him, "So I would hardly call this 'dead weight' on my back. Ever had nepleslian whiskey that is older than you are?"
 
"Ah I see, but I wasn't meaning the liquor I was meaning myself if I were to fall over then I'd be dead weight for you to carry, emphasis on the "dead" more than likely though. Liquor is always a good thing to have though" Sawyer said as he continued to jog by harm since she was the only person other than maybe cedric to show any comraderie with him and for that matter was significantly more attractive than cedric.
 
Arieg was quiet, keeping up the group's pace all the while keeping his rifle shouldered and his pack balanced. No need to go off alert even while on shore leave.
 
Matteo, dressed in a looser, tan version of his uniform accompanied by a light and breathable desert cloak, lagged behind most of the group, being somewhere between Admiral Wazu and the main body. It wasn't as though the pack he was carrying him was giving him trouble. Oh no, not at all. As Avel passed by him, he didn't utter single word of complaint. But his guts did. They seemingly growled and bubbled at her from inside the Marine as he continued to plod on. When he thought she was just out of earshot, he started muttering, cursing the MRE he ate right after the insane Casino Fiasco.

"F*cking rations...swear they were made during the Claw Empire or something..."

Ever since he had munched down on that bad sandwich, Matteo had come down with a bad case of the runs. It kept him from wandering too far from the nearest toilet. And now this. This was their down time? More training? He mulled over that.

'Considering how shitty the last one went, I guess it makes sense.' he thought. The mental mention of shit made him regret even thinking it.
 
Cedric kept up his pace, keeping an eye on the members of the squad. His breathing was starting to grow heavier now. This was a new body for him, one built to the specifications of his old one (minus the various bullet wounds, of course), but he still wasn't used to it. He was physically fit, to be sure, but now as he ran he found his mind drifting elsewhere. He couldn't help but think about the videos that the Admiral mentioned. As soon as they stopped for the night, he'd probably take some time to look at them once he had a free moment.

'That's gonna be weird. Watchin' myself die.' Cedric thought glumly.

He picked up his pace to come near Harm and Sawyer.

"Private!" He barked, "Sing us another cadence. Take our minds off all this running!"

As he said that, he glanced back to see the Admiral lagging behind, with Avel at his side. Cedric fell back to his original position: close enough so that the two of them could hear him with little effort.

"Avel: is the Admiral going to be okay?" He asked.
 
"Aye Staff Sergeant" Sawyer replied as he delved into his memory to find some more cadences to sing. "VTOL Viper rollin' down the strip, Nepleslian Marines gonna take a little trip! Mission top-secret, destination unknown!
Don't even know when we're comin' home! Stand up, buckle up, shuffle to the door, Jump right out and shout MARINE CORPS! If that chute don't open wide, I've got a reserve by my side If that one should fail me too,
Look out devil I'm a'comin' for you! A hookin' and a jabbin'! Slashin' and a stabbin!" Upon finishing that one he began singing the Marine's hymn as he remembered it from his training
" From the Halls of Nepleslia, To the shores of Yam-at-tee; We fight our country's battles In the air, on land, and sea; First to fight for right and freedom And to keep our honor clean: We are proud to claim the title Of Nepleslian Marine.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze From dawn to setting sun; We have fought in every clime and place Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job The Nepleslian Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps Which we are proud to serve; In many a strife we've fought for life And never lost our nerve; If the Army and the Navy Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded By Nepleslian Marines."
 
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