posted April 21, 2000 09:41 PM              

A red light blinks and sirens sound in the cockpit of Skyler Anderson's Incom/Subpro Z-95 Headhunter as headed for a repair yard orbiting high above Lorn IV. As he approached docking bay 4 the alarm for his main thruster came on. Anderson had to cut the engines and glide towards the bay.
"This is Imperial craft 511223 approaching docking bay 4 for repairs. Sending authorization codes." Skyler said into his comm link to the dock officer.
"Codes confirmed. Proceed." the pilots comm said his ear. The ship suddenly started to shake telling Skyler that the repair yard's tractor beam had a hold on his craft. He cut off the all the power except for life-support and prepared to exit his ship. The landing pads touched down and the cockpit opened with a hiss. Skyler climbed down to greet a dock mechanic and introduced himself. "Greetings, Sergeant Anderson reporting. Fix anything and everything on
this piece of junk so it will be able to get me to Rallitiir."
"Yes, sir. It might take a while and a lot of credits to fix this. I am gonna need you to pay in advance." said the mechanic while looking the ship over for an estimate on the damages.
"Alright. Do whatever it takes. I will be staying here." The sergeant said while handing the mechanic a card with his address. "Call me when you get an estimate." With that Skyler
walked off to the nearest transport that was headed for Lorn IV.
The shuttle landed at the main tourist information center with species of all kinds
roaming around trying to find there way to the nearest attraction. Skyler strolled over to a counter and asked to rent a speeder. The lady working the desk was obviously new because she didn't know what to do when Skyler showed her his ID card stating he was military. He got the speeder after much hassling with the blonde and drove to the barracks on base. He climbed out and walked through the door discovering the barracks empty. He unpacked and settled down for some rest thinking that the squad was running a training mission over on the obstacle course. After some rest he awoke to the sound of his squad rushing in. He sat up and leaned on his elbows to get a better view of the commotion and asked the nearest trooper what was happening.
"Sir, we have a call to come to the aid of the Lorn IV Security at the Vast Empire Bank. The alarm went off around twelve and they have been in a fire fight ever since. The casualty rate is rising faster than the number of wounded."
With this information Anderson raced out of bed and straight to his locker. He was ready before anyone else and awaiting outside for the Chariot LAV. They piled in the back and sped to the sight of the robbery. The squad got out and found over. Sergeant Anderson made his way to the officer in charge and asked what the situation was. Before Skyler finished the officer ran away screaming something about the end was here. Anderson ignored him and called troopers 1-4 to his position.
"Ok men listen up. These rent-a-cops are just making themselves target practice for these criminals. We need to see what is going on inside that bank. I need a count of hostages, hostiles, and firearms. Trooper One, find some high ground and see if you can get any information of the
interior with your scope. Trooper Two, get me the holo-prints of this building. I want to know every corner, step, and desk. Trooper Three, call in some charges we are going to make our own way into this building. Trooper Four, get me High General Sesswanna on a secure connection
NOW!!"
The men ran off in separate directions. The sergeant raised his head over his bunker to take a good look around his surroundings and saw that the front doors were barricaded, and only the windows had been shot out. There where three policemen off to the right sneaking up on the
west side of the building. As they got closer he saw movement inside the bank that was heading to intercept the security officers. Then all of a sudden all three went down when a BlasTech E-Web Repeating Blaster opened fire from the interior of the building. Skyler sighed and thought for those poor officer's families. He sat up on one knee on raised his blaster. He shot through a window and seemed to hit one figure with a weapon standing next to the E-Web Blaster.
Trooper One suddenly came over the comm in Anderson's helmet.
"Sir, there are four total on the second floor all equipped with E-11 Blaster Rifles. On the first floor there are eight men, two MobileMortar-3s, a E-Web Blaster, and a Munitions PLX-2M Missile Tube. Two men are armed with FC1 Flechette Launcher, four men are armed CR-24 Flame Rifles, and the rest are armed with E-11 Blaster Rifles. No hostages are viewable. The
report I got from a security officer says that everyone inside the bank was murdered and burnt.
Trooper Two, Three, and Four all returned at the same time. Sergeant Anderson knelt down again and asked for reports.
Trooper Two handed him a datapad with the blueprints of the bank on the screen. Next, Trooper Three reported that the charges where on there way. Last, Trooper Four handed the sarge a hand held comm.
" High General Sesswanna?"
"This is he, what is the status of the bank robbery?"
"The criminals are heavily armed and just wiping out the security force. I called in for some charges for an entry team and they are on there way."
"Ok, you have authorization for elimination with extreme prejudice of these pity thieves."
"Yes, Sir. I will need back up for this operation. These men are heavily armed. There are a total of twelve men but have more fire power than my whole squad. I request the whole platoon report here."
"Hmm. Ok Sergeant, you have your wish the platoon will be there in under ten minutes. I will be there in thirty minutes. If the situation is not resolved by the time I get there. I will relieve you of your position. You get me?"
"I get you, Sir."
With that the comm link was broken and Anderson moved to so his troopers could him
better. "Alright listen up. The platoon is coming for back up. Lets get this resolved before they
get here."
As the sarge was briefing his troopers a cargo skiff pulled up and unloaded charges. The squad ducked to them and the planning was starting.
"Ok, Troopers 5-9, you will be team two. I want you to set up three charges on the front door with a remote switch. The rest of you will come with me to the east side. We will be Team 1. We will have to go up there with stealth and speed. We will enter through the windows as Team 2 blows the front door to cause a diversion. The first in are the first to take out the most
threats. There are two windows on the east side. We will do it two by one, two men to one window. Trooper Two and I will be the first, as soon as our feet clear the sill, I want you two on your way in." Anderson turns to team two. "First one of you will blow the door from the west side. When you do this I want smoke grenades followed by luma grenades. This will blind them with the glare bouncing off the smoke. I want you four to enter through the front door with hell behind you, when you hear the fire coming from us. We will need you to take out the E-Web Blaster on the west side. That's our main threat, then the missile tubes which are situated towards the back next to the stairs. We will next eliminate the four on the top floor."
With this the troopers moved to there positions and Skyler took two charges with him just an emergency. When they where in place two Chariot LAVs pulled up and Squad Two piled out and took cover. Skyler knelt down outside his window to hear the message coming over his helmet comm.
"Squad One you may proceed, we will cover you."
Then a LOUD blast shredded the front doors. The criminals inside where blown back
against the far wall while the smoke and luma grenades flew in the windows from the west side. Skyler and Trooper Two jumped through the other windows opposite the grenades. They opened fire before they even hit the ground and rolled. When they got to there feet the room was full of smoke and a bright glare. Sergeant Anderson switched visions on his helmet visor as with the rest of the squad. The targets lit up like light bulbs. Six of the criminals headed up the stairs while the other two laid sprawled on the floor never to rise again. Team 1 gave chase while the other team collected the weapons and disarmed the dead. When Team 1 reached the top of the stair case they met a heavy barrage of blaster fire. They dove into the room and behind the nearest object to take cover. They returned fire, hitting two more criminals. Team 2 steadily climbed the stairs with the confiscated weapons in tow. Then a message crackled over Sergeant Anderson's helmet comm.
"This is High General Sesswanna, I am on my way. I will be arriving in my Lambda
Cla..." The Sarge couldn't hear the rest of the message because of the blast that came from the roof. When Anderson looked skyward he saw blue sky and a YT-2000 hovering overhead. The ramp was down and the criminals left there cover and started to board the ramp. Three more criminals where hit in the process. Then a Lambda flew over and opened fire on the landed craft. The turrets started to move on the top of the YT-2000 and a wave of laser fire was emitted from the mouth of the heavy cannons set atop the ship. Anderson cursed under his breath and grabbed a missile tube from Team 2. The thieves craft started to lift off when the Lambda flew back over, firing at the YT-2000 hitting it on every hit. This took the ships shield out. Anderson ran foward with the missile tube attached to his shoulder and fired three times at the departing craft. The YT-2000 gave chase after the Lambda and shot vigorously at it. Hitting all but four of its shots. The hits taken on by the YT-2000 put the Lambda in critical condition. Anderson ran foward with the missile tube attached to his shoulder and fired three times at the departing craft, hitting the rear engine, the underside hull plating which left a hole the size of a meteor hit, and a final hit on the top turret knocking out the gun and gunner. The YT-2000 went down and crashed into a nearby lake killing all aboard.
The squad walked out of the building to meet the crowd outside clapping and cheering. Policemen walked up to them and shook their hands then went inside to pick up the pieces and start figuring out was missing. Skyler took off his helmet and walked over to a Chariot LAV awaiting his squad. The squad's packed their belongings and piled in the LAV's after answering the media and taking praise from the crowd.
They reached the barracks and settled in for a long rest. Anderson went over to his bunk and fell to the warm mattress to drift off to sleep. When he awoke there was a message waiting on his machine that requested him to go to the High General's office. He strolled into complex of offices and cubicles and sat down outside the platoon commander's office, A few moments later
he was called in.
"Sergeant Anderson, reporting for duty, Sir."
"Be seated. That was very fine work you did out there yesterday, Sergeant. I will get right to the point. I need a platoon XO and you are the best one for the job. You can have the job until I find someone better or you die. Do you accept it?"
Anderson totally caught off guard stuttered a couple times then finally got his affirmative
answer out. "I would be... honored, Sir."
"Good, you are hereby promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and XO of Platoon 1, the Wildcards.
Dismissed."
As the new 2nd Lieutenant got up to leave the general said, "Thank you Lieutenant. You saved my life." With this they shook hands and Skyler Anderson strolled out of the office complex a new man. He went back to the barracks and packed his stuff, told his squad the good news, and left to by a real home.

------------------
//SIGNED//

2nd Leiutenant Anderson
PXO/2LT Anderson/1PLT/1BAT/1RGT/VEA