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RP: NSS Inquiry [NSS Inquiry] Mission One: Far From Home

Wilderness of Polup

Stein took a knee and scanned the area. Now that the adrenaline was exiting his system, the pain and soreness now wracked his body. Stein's back and legs were not happy with him at all. His suit's systems asked to inject another round of painkillers into his system again. He denied. He needed his senses sharp and his mind clear. He just tried to push the pain aside and shut it out.

When Cadence walked up, he smiled softly behind his visor. "I'm fine Cadence. Just a little sore." He lied. "How are you, Boss? How are you holding up?" He asked looking up at her over a private channel.

Stein then looked over at Alec and shook his head. "I'm fine kid. Thanks though."
 
Wilderness of Polup

The chaos seemed to calm down in thenext few moments as Cadence's heavy breathing subsided and she got her bearings along the hill's sight lines.

"If you're not pointing a gun, start having fun. Because I sure as fuck wish I could be," Cadence relayed to the team. Then, to Stein, she said privately, "I really wish things didn't go to shit so quickly."

Corbin said to Milton, "I heard you're fucking the XO of the ship."

Milton replied, "Nah, just your fucking mom, loser."

"Hey guys," Cadence called after she had moved position to sit down next to Stein. "This is the only down time you're going to get for awhile. Make good use of it!"
 
Wilderness of Polup

Alec waved off the comment and propped himself up against a rock to begin his watch. The medic kit rested next to him in event someone did call for it but his rifle was still kept in his hand. "Sounds like something my sister would've said."

"Anyways Lieutenant," the monoeye switched to IR, the helmet thankfully still working after this skirmish. "Not to ruin the fun but we did kind of just get ambush and left behind on an alien planet. Probably just me but it's a bit hard to not look tense."
 
Wilderness of Polup

Stein nodded to Cadence smiling softly to her. "Yeah it sucks...But we are all still alive and that is what matters. As long as we are still breathing, there is still hope." He said placing a hand on her armored shoulder. "Those... things are actually in for a world of hurt. They tried pick a fight with the NSMC, and the Corp is one pissed off bitch when you get her riled up." He said smirking. "We will make it out of this, and they won't know what hit them."

He then looked over to their resident medic. "Well, you could be dead back their kid so today ain't all bad." He said nonchalantly. "Remember the Creed. 'I am a fighter who never gives up no matter what.'" Stein quoted the Creed as if it were a piece of religious scripture, which it was to him.
 
Wilderness of Polup

Althea locked her armor's legs upright for the time being, putting less pressure on her own legs to keep things upright. The extent of her silent relaxation seemed to be water and a couple fruit-filled snack bars ferreted out of her pack. Or, it would have if her gauntleted hand hadn't pulled back a mass of pulp composed of wrapper and soft bodied bar.

"Ah fuck," she groused, inspecting the damage shrapnel had apparently wreaked on her pack. At least her canteen had survived.
 
Wilderness of Polup

After a moment to listen to everyone it seemed like no one got a positive ID on the ship in orbit. Linda did not like this situation, unknown tech and unknown enemies with unknown strategies. Things were going to get really complicated and stressful, so she took extra care to rest while she could. She let her suit run a diagnostic to see if there was any damage and let out a sigh.

"I think I'm fine, not sure about any effects that light might have had though." She spoke to the medic just to alleviate their worry.
 
Wilderness of Polup

"I want everyone not on look-out to be working with someone else to secure your armor, weapons, or —in Private Dornseif's case— snack bars. Talk with one another, get comfortable, and relax a bit. We don't know how long we'll be out here and letting our worries get the best of us isn't going to help a thing," Cadence told everyone.

She situated herself more fully beside Stein and asked of him, "If only we had gotten a positive ID on a ship like Nelson hoped we had. That would make life a lot easier."
 
Wilderness of Polup

"Remember Cadence, hindsight's 20/20." Stein said over a private channel. "There is no use dwelling on the things we can't change now." He said looking over to her and giving her a reassuring smile. "We have to keep moving forward, and not look back. If we dwell on the past then we miss what is right in front of us." He said sagely, as he looked back out to scan the perimeter again, then back to Cadence.
 
Wilderness of Polup

Looking around the surrounding area, seeing no movement and picking up little, if anything at all on her sensors, Cadence chose to talk to Varick Stein some more, a man she respected and one she wanted to show that respect to over private comms.

"Thank you, Stein, for your kind words. I wish I had the foresight to plan for this, but it all went to hell because I didn't. You can blame me directly for that. But, looking forward, as you say. I can do that. I can look forward and know we need to dig into the ground..."

"No, we're not literally digging, Carrick," Cadence Newborn added over open comms.

"We need to dig our heels in," Cadence went on over private comms to Stein, "and stick it out until we get relief. That's all we can do. What we should do is no different, that is why I have faith in the plan to do so."
 
Wilderness of Polup

Stein shook his head. "Cadence... there is no way you could have known this would happen. We had shitty intel. That's all." He looked over and smiled again softly. "You are the CO. I would follow you to hell and back, Cadence. You can always count on me." He added over the private line they shared.
 
Wilderness of Polup

"I'm happy to have you by my side," Cadence Newborn told Stein. "Thank you for being such a close confidante and..." Cadence paused, then went on as she looked over at Stein, speaking over private comms, "...friend."
 
Wilderness of Polup

"You'd be beggin' for an Oatey bar if they'd survived, L-T," Althea replied in a burst of unusual jocularity, saluting the pulpy mass of her lost snacks, "Rest in peace you poor, delicious bastards."
 
Wilderness of Polup

Cadence laughed aloud as she looked to Althea and said a few words to the fallen comrades.

"Remembered but never forgotten. Ooey gooey Oatey bars... You shall be missed. Private Dornseif, do you need a shoulder to cry on or a replacement snack? I can procure either."
 
Wilderness of Polup

Althea made an exaggerated act of wiping away nonexistent tear from her monoeye, "Thanks ma'am, but I'll get by. Carrick's kinda squishy, could probably, uh, 'encourage' him to share."
 
Wilderness of Polup

"Private Tobias Carrick, you are herby ordered to share your snackies with Private Althea Dornseif," Cadence Newborn told Carrick. "And don't think you can get out of it by flashing those big blues! Unless..." She turned off outgoing comms to giggle for a quick moment and then pinged them back online.

She looked over to Althea and said, "Unless that is the type of thing to work on Private Dornseif."

Althea's reputation was quite the opposite of Tobias' and she found the pairing to be even more cute than it was hilarious.
 
Wilderness of Polup

"Ohhh shit, you hear that Carrick? Ordered to share your snacks, by a real officer," she said teasingly, waving her gauntleted hand a little, to add extra emphasis, "No ma'am, never has, never will. I am too dedicated a Marine to be distracted by somethin' like that."
 
Wilderness of Polup

Stein smiled warmly. "Same here Cadence..." He said over private comms, before she turned to Dornsief. The Master Sergeant chuckled behind his visor as he and Cadence talked. "Damn Lt... Do I actually have to enforce that order? Or will they play nice all on their own?" He asked over squad comms, with a very large hint of sarcasm.
 
Wilderness of Polup

"Private Carrick," Cadence said. "It looks like you're going to have to share. And Private, remember the old creed; He who learns to share his snacks will soon learn to share a bed."
 
Tobias blushed intensely.

"Errr... Yes Ma'am."

He fished around his pack and retrieved a few of the precious oatey bars.

He spoke quietly as he handed over the 'snackies'.

"I'm pretty sure you're making that part up."
 
Wilderness of Polup

Linda chuckled under her helmet as she watched the situation involving the snacks. While it was amusing, she kept herself on the side lines for a moment, and kept her outgoing audio off as she comprised a quick summary of what had happened for her IPG report. It wasn't until after the report was finished that she spoke up. "If I knew we'd be like this, I'd have tried to grab some snacks from the city."
 
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