Location: New Sidney, The Arcturus System
Unit: 87th Marines Regiment
Time: 05:00 Zulu time, Hours in to Operation RIPTIDE: 21:05
Time Stream: 2 months before Salient's arrival in system

The sky seemed to light up as the dawn hues climbed over the sky of New Sidney it was an every bit beautiful as a man could ask for. Now below this is was a different story. Marine base 193 was alive with action, its activity like a living heartbeat, pounding away.

Military personnel swarmed the area, preparing for operations at the base. Transport drop ships were warming up for their daily flying runs as their pilots sluggishly moved toward the cockpits of their craft.

"Dust off in five minutes, all marines to assigned transports" the stations AI chimed through the inter com.

Jason moved to away from the radar console he was at and moved towards the arms lockers. He watched as all the beakers moved back and forth trying to ready his body armor for combat "damn that's a lot of people just to set up one god damn suit don't you think Martian."

Martian was one of the beakers and one of Jason's "friends" to be honest his higher ups did say to trust others but not friendship among co-workers with others.

Martian turned from the control panel laughing and started up in his Irish accent "well now look who crawled out of his hole. Your suits a pain in the ass my friend" he said putting a hand on Jason's shoulder before walking him over to the black suit hanging from the wall "had to reboot her without you.... it got pretty nasty when auto defense shock system came on."

Jason chuckled looking at the armor in front of him, the most advanced the federation could build. There were others at a time but now they were destroyed... Jason looked at it before taking it off the the wires and briskly put it on. "So how's the family Martian"

Martian looked at one of the consoles "there good, the kids miss me through, but I get to web chat so you know...."

Jason nodded before slipping on his helmet and letting the visor close "don't know what I'd do without you Martian, and thanks for the reboot" he said before heading towards his weapons locker and grabbing his weapons his weapons.

Jason then gave a half salute to Martian before heading outside to the landing pads and stepping inside one of the waiting drop ships as it dusted in off and pulled slowly into the air. Jason stared blankly ahead with the other marines seated next to him. They all seemed to know this was just another recon mission, and they'd treat it that way, no but's, if's, or and's about it.

(beaker is slang for scientist, like beaker from the muppets show)

Task Force 172 Command Center, Areca
Time: 05:12 Zulu time, Hours in to Operation RIPTIDE: 21:17
Time Stream: 2 months before Salient's arrival in the Arcturus System

A haughty chuckle and a short sip, "Bolshevism, pure Bolshevism." Leslie Montgomery cried, "To think that the planetary miners are begging the government to do something about the corporations. Madness!"

He swung around in his seat, putting aside his glass of chardonnay in his seat's armrest as several marines greeted him while stepping into his command center.

The Command Center for Task Force 172 was situated within Areca, primarily the outskirts of the city where the entirety of the troops were stationed. Patrols would often circle the city's streets, alongside the planet's militia, the New Sidney Guards. The Federation Security and Peacekeeper Corps provided light support, maintaining law and order in the city. The windswept lands remained as arid as ever, as the gunships lifted up slowly, whipping up dust into clouds. Montgomery's command center was lit with the diffuse light of the holographic interfaces and screens, which only served to magnify the shadows of the personnel directly in front of the screens. They observed and typed away as Montgomery walked up to the tactical war map screen, and leaned against the control panel from which the war map was powered.

"What 'ave you got to report?" Montgomery inquired with his almost natural English accent.

"Colonel Jason Miles is moving out again, on recon. Something happening near Tobruk."

"Tobruk? What happened there?"

"Not sure Commander, several units answered a call," the marine shrugged.

"And Miles had to personally lead? Impudent fool! What if he dies there? I'm not making any appointments in the field!" Montgomery had forgotten how quick he had climbed the chain of command, or perhaps he remembered it all too well.

It was approximately three months ago when the entire chain was blown all the way down to him. Insurgents had managed to infiltrate their forward operating center and detonate high degree repulsor explosives. The shock wave ripped apart the senior officers and destroyed multiple facilities such as the barracks and the arsenals, while Montgomery was busy filing paperwork in his quarters. The attack scrambled available marine units as they took up defensive positions in preparation for an assault. Nothing came, it was another saboteur attack, and when the dust settled, Montgomery found himself at the top of the chain as elected by command, because he was the only senior officer remaining.

"Reconnaissance? Mmh," Montgomery tapped his fingers on the panel, then instinctively turned to an aide, "Wilfred, patch me through to the Colonel."

"Yes sir." the aide clicked away on his haptic interface panel, he nodded once to the Commander once the deed was done.

(Co-written with VindicatedPurpose)

Location: New Sidney, The Arcturus System
Time: 05:18 Zulu time, Hours in to Operation RIPTIDE: 21:23
Time Stream: 2 months before Salient's arrival in the Arcturus System

Jason’s comm buzzed with the normal military chatter as the drop ship circled over the lower provinces of the city. The people stopped and stared silently as the metal monsters flew over giving off their low hum to all who stopped to listen.

It was unusual to see this hustling, bustling part of the city quiet. Whatever happened must have spooked them. That’s just about when his head piece received a call from Montgomery.

"Colonel, give me the details of your patrol. What exactly brought this on?" the Commander's hard boiled tone was fortunately mitigated by the light static over the comms.

Jason motioned for silence in the cabin before addressing Montgomery “Sir, I believe there are weapon and troop shipments going in and out of the shipping complex down at the docks. It’s only reasonable to suggest that things are going south in the area. Also I have Intel that dictates that the ringmaster of the operation himself is at the complex as we speak, preparing for his counter offensive.”

Jason pulled up his data screen “Also we lost contact with the facility at 08:00 hours yesterday. I have through the essence of pivotal data, taken the incentive to lead a small task force to deal with the operation.” Jason then quickly pulled up another bit of data “These are high Rez pictures of the shipments in general caught by are drones in the area.”

There was silence on the other end of the line. Jason looked out the window as they caught a bit of turbulence.

"Was that really necessary? Couldn't you have sent a Captain out?" Montgomery remained silent, "Don't answer Colonel, just deal with it quickly and be back. Montgomery out."

The marines in the cabin braced themselves for the bumpy ride as they came in towards the docks. The shadows of massive ships covering in the drop ships in a thin layer of shade.

The pilot’s voice came over the speaker, “Sir, we’re in range of the drop zone, should we press ahead?” Jason gave the green light on the pilot's HUD's and the drop ships swung left towards the LZ. Jason then took to the matter of his troops, who had been briefed, but needed an update. "We're heading in hot, so get ready to come out swinging" he said through the comm with an erie calmness in his voice. He cocked his rifle and waited for the landing.

"This is Charlie 1-5, we've been hit, repeat, we've been hit. Unknown projectile, we're goin' down," static followed that message, as everybody on the comm channels heard the broadcast.

"Sir, what do you advise?" the pilot addressed Colonel Miles.

Location: New Sidney, The Arcturus System
Time: 05:27 Zulu time, Hours in to Operation RIPTIDE: 21:32
Time Stream: 2 months before Salient's arrival in system

”Here we go again”, Jacinto whispered, followed by a few chuckles from the nearby marines sitting strapped next to him. An entire platoon was sitting inside a Charon dropship heading for what Colonel Miles had described as a ‘Recon mission’. Jacinto knew better. However, since he was still considered the rookie of this platoon, namely the 35th Tactical Response unit, he kept his mouth shut, especially around the lieutenant. The platoon commander, Isaac Dimitri, sat at the very end of the left side. He was sitting closest to the metal patch that would open once they were close to landing. Men of the 35th Tactical Response Platoon praised Isaac, but Jacinto had read everything except for the censored bits of his lieutenant's files and he had come to distrust the man. He didn’t even want to guess what the censored bits of his files were.

”I hate flying," a voice came trailing down the line of seats. It was Trycen, or as most of the marines called him, ‘Holyman’ as he always prayed before every mission and it was always to a different god. ”It’s not the because of the fact that we could crash at any second, no.” The entire dropship went silent, except from the engines, as everyone was waiting for the point. ”It’s because I’m stuck here, in a confined space, with thirty-eight of the Federation's biggest idiots!”, Holyman let out a hearty laugh and most of the platoon joined in.

While his platoon was having fun, Isaac was too busy making sure all his systems was online and ready once they landed. He had a lot more to cover than his men seeing as his systems was a bit more upgraded, but he still sported the same outfit as them. 

”All systems are online and ready to go. Want to test them?” The female voice inside his helmet almost whispered, as if anyone else but he could hear her. Three years ago, Isaac finally got his request accepted by command and the development of his private A.I. began. Beatrice, the female A.I., was the result of the Federation's hard work.

”Test them? What do you mean?”, He asked, already knowing the answer.

”Well, we could see how fast and accurately you can place a bullet between Holymans eyes as we land.” Isaac raised his head and shifted his attention over to Holyman as he continued joking with the rest of the men. The lieutenant gripped his rifle slowly, made sure to put the safety off and that everything was in place as he let the rifle slide into place under his arm and steadily in his right hand.

”Do it.” She whispered, her voice drowning in anticipation for the incoming kill. However, Isaac let his rifle slide back down from his armpit and into its place beside his seat. ”You’re no fun anymore.” the A.I. stated with a grudge to which Isaac simple smiled slyly. When he saw the lamp above the docking ramp crack to life with a bright yellow color, the entire platoon went silent. They knew what the lamp meant; They were close to the landing zone and as soon as that lamp turned from yellow to green and the boarding ramp opens, things would get rowdy to say the least.

The lieutenant unsheathed himself, picked up his rifle with his right hand and took a steady grip of one of the lines hanging in the roof of the dropship as he rose up. He turned to face the rest of his marines. ”Alright, men. This is nothing more than a standard mission, the stuff I know you apes can handle.” There was no laughter; Lieutenant Dimitri wasn’t known for his humor, ”As long as you follow one simple rule, even if this isn’t an assault, we’ll all come back alive." The ship took a slight turn and slowed down. "Fern! What’s my rule?” Isaac pointed with his rifle at the marine across the ship.

”Don’t try to be a hero, sir!” The marine shouted as the sound of engines rose to levels of deafening proportions. The ship was about to land and the lamp just behind Isaac lit green and the boarding ramp lowered itself. ”And if you break my rule?!” Isaac shouted back at the marine.

”Then you’ll shoot us!”

”Correct! MOVE OUT!”, Isaac finished his little briefing and jumped out from the dropship followed by his marines.