After the episode at the cantina, Joe tried to talk to Timothy and to make him understand that his orders had nothing to do with their friendship. Timothy disagreed and told Joe he would have to take his time in order to decide whether they are still friends or not.
The next days, tension could be felt between the members of the squad. But they had no time to spend arguing on this topic. The Commander wanted them back in action as soon as possible. Since Alona was the new corporal, she did not wait too much to make her first decision as leader. She thought it was inappropriate for the squad to have only three members whereas other squads had more than four. Therefore, she requested an immediate transfer and the captain sent private Andrew Fischer to aid them. It had been a long time since their squad had four members and Joe and Timothy did not like this rookie at all.
Marine Quarters Room 212, aboard the Hyperion
10:28 Ship Hour
*in the room are Alona, Joe and Timothy. Timothy sits on his bed, Alona searches something in her knapsack and Joe watches over some pictures of them. There is some room, especially made for the newcomer.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Remember this one? We were at the supplies on Paralta, just before the zerg came out of nowhere…” *sighs* “We were so unprepared for the evac…”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“It’s that time when I realized how good is to have the bayonet attached.” *smiles*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
*laughs* “Yeah, you made your way through those ugly bitches like a pro swordsman!”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“It was that moment when I saw that queen over you and screamed to you to duck. *laughs* You ducked, alright, you tripped and fell right in the middle of four hydras…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“And you all thought I was dead… I remember that. You left with the evac… I spent 36 hours in that hell until you too came to save me…” *very serious*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“We disobeyed a direct order to come save your ass… That’s what friends usually do!” *serious*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Enough with this nonsense already! Joe did what was ordered, you would have done the same. Out there we are a team and I expect to act accordingly. Get over it, Timmy. And, in my opinion, he is your friend because he always took your part in the reports.”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“So I have to thank him because he lied to me?” *confused and ironic*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“No, that’s your choice to make. But think about it very well because it is getting on my nerves. *sighs*
*the intercom buzzes and the door opens. Andrew Fischer takes the salute position right after he makes a step into the quarters. He was tall and with heavy muscles on his arms. He had dark, short hair and brown eyes, with no beard but a big scar over his left eye.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Good morning, mam! Marine private Fischer, Andrew, identification code 112486FA reports to his quarters!” *serios*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“At ease, marine. Welcome to your new quarters. This are private Banks and private Astor. Your bed is up there and there’s your locker. You have half an hour to get settled, then all of you, come to the briefing room. The commander wants to have a talk with us. Is that clear?” *very authorative*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Yes, mam.” *salutes once again*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Whatever you say, corporal. How funny…” *laughs*
*Alona leaves the quarters. Joe goes in front of Andrew*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Listen up, Bob. I don’t really know what you’re about. Frankly, I don’t really care. But out there… we have a rule: no one is left behind no matter what.” *serious*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“The protoss die with honor. We don’t want to die, period, so we all stick together.”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I heard all about you guys. I haven’t requested to come here. I was sent here by the Commander. If you have rules, I’m gonna stick with them. There’s no problem. I’m here to get back at Mengsk.” *angry*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I heard about you too: the survivor of Mar Sara of the first insurrection of the zerg. Went to Tarsonis as a refugee and then you were attacked again, only this time because of Mengsk. But you survived…”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
*uncomfortable and very angry, almost shouting* “My parents, brother and sister died on Tarsonis. I have nothing left. So, you don’t like me? Fine! But let me do my job!”
*makes way and starts filling his locker. Joe was a bit startled by the reaction*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
*whispering to Joe* “You make friends easily, ey?” *laughing and leaving the quarters.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Fischer, I’m gonna have my eyes on you.”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“You do that, Astor.” *without even looking at him, he continues ordering his stuff*
Briefing Room aboard the Hyperion
11:01 Ship Hour
*the briefing room was a large room with a holographic map in the middle. People stood around it while the captain was talking about their new objective.*
Captain Samuel „The Dog” Shepperd
“We have a new party in the next couple of hours. We are deployed on a Dominion colony, Roxara. It seems some old alien race left there a piece of their technology and Mengsk’s boys want it. Guess what? We want it too and we will get it. Our mission is to infiltrate into five distant bases at once and search for the object. *a photo of the artifact is displayed on the hologenerator. It resembled with twisted metal and had a strange form* This is a high risk operation but you have backup waiting if something goes wrong. Questions?” *very calm*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“If I’m not mistaken, captain, this is a former protoss world. Won’t there be any protoss on this rock?”
Captain Samuel „The Dog” Shepperd
“As far as we know, when the Dominion colonized the planet, they found no trace of the protoss. Our intel does not suggest any protoss activity either. Rest assured, the protoss aren’t our problem this time.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“No, but we are talking about protoss technology. This stuff screws with human minds. So… what does the artifact do?” *pretty curious*
Captain Samuel „The Dog” Shepperd
“That information is classified. All you have to do is get it and retrieve it. There is no danger over short periods, as far as our scientists say. So don’t worry about affecting your judgment. Anymore questions?”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Please do tell this is not a silent op. With all do respect captain, I really want to kick some ass, especially Dominion ass.” *smiles*
Captain Samuel „The Dog” Shepperd
“I understand your enthusiasm, but this one goes in the dark people. Neutralize only if necessary. Do not forget our main objective is to retrieve the object. God speed!” *leaves the room*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Don’t be sad, Timothy. Maybe next time.” *winks*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Maybe next time I will kick your ass instead.” *also leaves the room*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“You seem to get along better. *smiles.* I expect you two to the job out there. We are marines.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Cut the crap, Alona. Nothing changed even if you are corporal. We will do our jobs just as before. Since you got those grades, it’s all about “do this, do that”. Stop it.” *serious.*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“That’s why we couldn’t work it out before, Joe? Because you couldn’t take orders from me?” *a little angry*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Don’t go back there. You know what happened then.”
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“I actually don’t… I was following my orders!”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Your orders weren’t to sleep with somebody!” *very angry. He shouted so loud everyone turned their look on them* “Get over it. I did. Now, I have to prep for the mission. I’ll see you in armory.” *leaves*
*Alona was a bit startled after hearing Joe’s answer. Then, she left the briefing room looking like she had a lot on her mind.”
Armory, The Hyperion
13:15 Ship Hour
*Joe has already suited up in his exoskeleton while Timothy prepared his weapons very meticulously. Alona is having difficulty to get suited up. Andrew was somewhere in the back painting a skull on the left shoulder of the exoskeleton. Timothy approaches him.*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Nice painting. I hope you can shoot as well as you can paint.” *smiles*
*Andrew draws his gun, twists back and shoots the locker door right where a sticker was and said “Touch this if you can”.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Is that good enough for you?” *very confident*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Not really. But it’s a start.” *laughs*
*They both shake hands. Joe sees their gesture and gets a bit nervous. He leaves the armory with a lot of noise, going to the shuttle bay dock.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“What’s his problem?” *confused*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“I have an idea. But I’d rather blame Alona, hehe.” *smiles*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“You’d better prepare yourselves than talk cheap. Move, marines!” *nervous*
After all of them geared up, they left with a shuttle and dropped on Roxara. The planet resembled with Earth a lot except the lack of mountains. It had only plains and small hills. The blue sky was ruled by a red sun which raised the temperature very high in the afternoons. The marines quickly felt the heat in their armors. It was very hard to move yet they had to travel some distance before they reached their target. Alona was in front, leading the way, followed by Timothy and Andrew. Joe stood behind. He had some focus problems. The discussion with Alona in the briefing room brought back memories. However, he was aware he had to keep it together for them to finish this mission.
After a couple of hours, the squad reached their designated position. Even though this was an infiltration mission they had to do it by day. When night falls, temperatures drop to extreme levels. So they had to be more cautious then ever. The base itself was built in a former gas mine. Outside, electric fences surrounded it and two bunkers were built just in front of the entrance. Not many marines were patrolling. No sight of any tanks or other vehicles, nor any factories or depots. It was just a big metal seal door, that allowed the entrance into the mine.
Upon their arrival, the squad scouted the place to get a grasp over the situation. Afterwards, Alona decided to send in Andrew and Timothy, while Joe and she were waiting them outside, offering support if needed. Joe was not very happy to send Andrew along with his friend. He wanted to team up with Timothy and get in. Alona explained she needed a good sniper outside and he was the best off them.
Joe covered the right corner of the base from a little ridge and Alona was on the other side, carefully watching the guards patrolling and ready to intervene if necessary. Ten minutes after Timothy and Andrew went inside.
Dominion Base, somewhere on Roxara
13:15 Local Hour
*radio static*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“We’re in and almost got to the objective. Not many tangos inside. Most of them scientists. Like a walk in the park.” *confident*
*after two minutes the general alarm goes off. Gunshots can be heard in the radio*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“We’ve been spotted! Couldn’t get the package. We need to get out of here. Need assistance!” *screaming into the radio so he could be heard over all that gunshot noise*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I’m coming in, Timmy! Hold on!”
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Stay where you are! That’s an order!”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“They’re caught inside. Look how they are expecting them outside. We need to barge in and clear the path for them.”
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Snipe them from here. You’re no good to them dead.” *authorative*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I’m no good to them here! You can snipe them, I can go in, make way and save them. You do what you have to do.” *running towards the entrance and preparing his rifle.*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“God damn it, Astor. Come back! That’s an order!” *shouting at him but without any answer from him*
Joe made his way through as fast as he could. Alona aided him by sniping multiple soldiers. The bunkers up next were hard to pass tough. Joe took some of his explosive and threw it towards the bunker. When it got near the bracks of the bunker, he shot the explosives. The blast wave incinerated all those inside. A big ball of flame rose into the sky.
*radio static*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Need…. Assistance…. Taking heavy fire…. Injury at my left arm…” *very difficult to understand.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“You got that, Alona?” *concerned*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Yes… Fischer, what’s your position?”
*radio static but no answer*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Fischer, report!”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Jesus… I’m going in after Timothy. Cover me!”
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“I can’t help you in there. You’re on your own, Astor!” *said with some anxiety*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Nothing new, mam. Be right back.”
Joe rushed to get in. The corridors in the base were small and the walls were pretty thick. Lights flickered continuously while in the background, many gunshots can be heard. After some turns, Joe arrived in the middle of the fight. Timothy was taking cover after a laboratory table. Five dominion marines were firing on his position but did not see Joe coming.
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Fire in the hole! *throws a high explosive grenade where the dominion marines were.*
*After a couple of seconds, the marines are blown to pieces. Joe rushes to Timothy who throws his weapon.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Are you alright?” *worried*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“You stupid son of a bitch. You really came.” *smiles but it was easy to see he was hurt*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“How’s the arm?”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“I can still beat you up with it...”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Where’s Fischer? He didn’t answer the radio call.”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“After the alarm was set off, we got cut off from the exit. We had to split up. I don’t know where he is.”
*Gunshots are heard from behind. Two marines fly from an explosion, near the place Joe and Timothy are. From the smoke which rose, Andrew made his way. Both Joe and Timothy pointed their guns at him.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Wow, wow, wow… It’s me!” *confused of their greeting*
*they holster their guns*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“You made it!” *glad to see him*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I also got the object.” *winks and shows his backpack*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Why didn’t you answer your radio? We tried to reach you.” *suspicious*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“It must have gotten damaged in the gunfight. I didn’t hear a thing…”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“You can play 20 questions outside. I need some stitches… I hate stitches….”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Sure. Don’t think I don’t have an eye on you.” *serious*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Never crossed my mind.” *also serious*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Alona, do you copy?”
*many gunshots are heard on the radio*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Yes. It’s getting heavy outside. Hurry. I’ll back you up.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Roger that. Let’s move.”
Joe and Andrew went in front to create a safety passage for Timothy. Alona covered them at the entrance. After deploying some smoke grenades to make cover, they all left the base and ran to the LZ. The mission was a success…
Briefing Room, The Hyperion
23:49 Ship Hour
*The debriefing was a long procedure this time. The captain wanted to know why this attack was the only one which went wrong. The other four was a complete success as no one detected their presence. Except Timothy who was in infirmary, everyone took their turn to tell the story to the captain. At the end, Joe was asked to talk with the captain in private.*
Captain Samuel „The Dog” Shepperd
“Look, Joe. Things don’t add up. I need more intel. The commander and I both think there is a mole inside our crew. Because of the things which happened during your incursion, we think it’s in your squad. We need you to keep a tap on everybody.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I don’t know, Cap. Except Andrew who’s new, I could swear they are as loyal to the commander as I am. And after my last mission, I don’t think I can do this with them… they are my family.” *a little nervous*
Captain Samuel „The Dog” Shepperd
“I know it’s difficult. But we need to be sure. Commander’s orders. I trust you to do the right thing.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Understood, sir. Request permission to leave, sir.” *salutes*
Captain Samuel „The Dog” Shepperd
“Granted. At ease.”
Infirmary, The Hyperion
23:56 Ship Hour
*Timothy was sitting on a bed while the nurse was stitching him. Joe comes in*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Hey, man. Can you still use the hand?”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“I can still shovel your head into the captain’s ass.” *both laugh*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Glad to hear. Listen, I have to talk to you about something.” *serious*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“I have to talk to you, too.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I know we are kinda tensioned because of what you heard last week. I realize now how wrong it was.”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“I overreacted too. I was a bit drunk and mad the captain took my ranks…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Well… It’s like this. My natural family died back on Mar Sara at the first zerg incursion. Since then, I really consider you and Alona my family.. You and me make one hell of a team. We been through hell together and I was wrong not to tell you. But I can make this right now.
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“It’s alright, Joe. Seriously…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Let me finish. The captain gave me a new mission. There’s a mole inside us. He wants me to keep an eye on all of you.”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Why are you telling me then? Aren’t you afraid I’m the snitch?” *confused*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I trust you even if there are no blood ties between us. And the only one who remains is Fischer.” *nervous*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“I don’t know. He is pretty handy out there and seems to be a nice guy.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“We can’t blame Alona. So Andrew is the only choice.”
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Maybe you are right. *the nurse finishes the stitches and leaves* Now, I need a drink to think about how I neutralized all those tangos at checkpoint 4.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Since when do you talk like a soldier?” *confused*
Prv. Timothy „Sandman” Banks
“Since too much morphine is in my system. *laughs* Lets go now.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“You’re one crazy ass…. Let’s go.”
*the two leave the infirmary laughing and talking like old friends.*
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