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Chambers Company: Chapter One
Posted By: AngryHorizon<rennerma@alltel.net>
Date: 11 October 2005, 2:54 am
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All of the men in my class signed up for the marines the day they graduated. They were all looking to get a piece of the covenant. I didn't want to be different, so I joined too. We had enough for a full company. The marines named our company Chambers Company, because that was the county in Texas where we came from.
I was looking to get away from Texas, but the marines saw fit to leave us there at Fort Hempstead, by Dallas. We were in for a shock in basic. We thought high school athletics was hard, no.
I went into training five feet ten inches tall, two hundred and fifteen pounds, with long black hair, and camp out of that camp five feet ten, one hundred seventy pounds, with short black hair. I had become a platoon leader, partly because I did so well in training, and partly because all my test scores were high. Apparently the marines like smart people.
1209 hrs. November 5th 2552 (Military Calendar)
In a Pelican dropship over Texas
I try to keep an air of the friendship I once shared with my men, but at the same time not letting them be completely insubordinate. I have known many of these men since first grade, and we have lots of memories. I wonder if they realize that any, or all of us, could be dead in next few months.
"Hey, lieutenant, remember the first football game we ever played. You were so nervous that you forgot the play by the time Johnny said hut. You ended going the opposite way of the blocks, and what was it three, or four people who nailed you," said Private First Class Yuani Rivers. He likes to talk about the good old days. Lately he has been talking about everything I did wrong in school. For the most part they were all funny.
"Yeah, it was five of those bastards," I corrected him with smile on my face, "My head still rings from the pop." I sat at the back of the pelican, so I could see the other two behind us. We were being shipped Houston so we could be sent of to Quadrant Five. They need some reinforcements, so they are sending us.
"I barely got the ball to you because of your screw up," said Private Johnny Melanco laughing. "I thought maybe I did something wrong, and then you got hammered." He slapped his hand on his thigh trying to control his laughing. He was always more popular in school then me, but we were good friends.
I thought about what was to come. I had been to Houston several times in my life, considering how close I lived to it. It is home to one of the major ports in the UNSC. I saw ships coming and going all the time, I just never thought I would be on one of them.
"Well thats enough on the topic of that Privates," I said that to get them to stop about that embarrassing subject. Football had been what I lived for in high school. We were the first team to win a state championship at our school since its beginning in 1903. It's amazing really.
"Fifteen minuets," called the pilot. It would be a
good thing to be so close to home again. But it was only for a moment, a very brief moment. Just long enough for us to board the Elanjar, a small frigate class warship. Home, I will forever miss it.
"Can you believe they got us traveling in the
middle of the day on an empty stomach," whined Corporal Hector Lipton. For a tough guy he was one of the biggest whiners in the universe. On the last day of high school he benched five hundred and fifty pounds. He has a large build, like a lineman, which he was.
"Shut up, we all know that you can't survive without food every ten minutes, but you don't need to complain about it for the fourth freak'in time," said Private Bruce Rebel. He was on the high school line as well, not as good as Hector though. He could hit just about anything with his battle rifle.
I looked out the back again, and I saw ships. They were passing by their massive docks. Some were docking, while others were leaving. The port of Houston is an extremely large expanse of military operations now, but the civilians have also built up the city with their towering buildings.
I took off my helmet and saw my refection staring back at me. I almost didn't recognize it by the way it had changed so much since I had last taken a good look at it. My overall appearance was older then eighteen. My deep blue eyes showed a weariness from none stop working since boot camp. My facial hairs were clean shaved to show my angular face more clearly. My long hair was gone, and that opened up my face even more.
We continued to pass building of magnificent beauty and decoration. When our pelicans flew pass a building of glass I was able to see our reflection glide beside us. The sun reflected off of them creating a blinding glare, so I had to look away.
The pilots were slowing us down, and turning into one of the small pelican size docks. The two other pelicans behind us followed suit. "Hang on," called the pilot, "Were are docking in five." Everyone grasped was already strapped in with buckles secure, but they grasped the handrails that separated each seat.
The back wheels hit, creating a small shudder. Then the front wheels hit, and I leaned to the side as to not go forward. There were men waving us in, and then they waved for us to stop. The breaks squeaked into action,lowing the rolling wheels to a complete stop.
The men around me unbuckled and rose. I did the same. We got off the craft and stepped onto the solid ground. I looked at my surroundings, and everything looked like it was chaos. I was certain though that all of this was planned, and anticipated. My men from the other pelicans came to me and fell into line.
Our entire company was organized in a matter of minutes as we waited on our next set of orders. The company leader was pacing in front of the line, glancing at his watch. He itched his head, which was covered in short blonde hair. He was our valedictorian, our class leader, not by any official business, but now it was official that he was leading the men in our class.
The pelicans we arrived on left as soon as we were out of the way. There was a high sealing above us. There were probably more planes up there. For now our company took up most of the hanger.
The doors in front of the pelicans opened and some more marines walked out, with a Captain leading them. He no doubt was bringing us our orders to board the Elanjar.
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