[h2][color=f08080]A True Shadow War[/color][/h2]
Ashley had done just about everything he had been looking to do in the two hour time frame they'd been provided with. Found the sickbay, ate a solid breakfast and took a long contemplative dump. He remained pretty relaxed up until they were informed of their current whereabouts, the expressions that contorted his face were comical to say the least. He kept an ear open for everything and soaked in all that was provided.

"This place, mate, Hot? That's a bloody understatement. I'm gonna have a right case'ah fuckin' sweaty bollocks, mate." Ashley himself knew there was no way he would turn back and go home now. He had a wife and what was soon to be four children but he was part of something bigger now, it was far from an easy decision to make. He knew first hand what it was like to grow up without really knowing his own father but in his mind he knew they had good support from their families. Regardless, he had no intention of dying out here on some alien rock, especially not with other peoples lives on the line. But at least... at least he got to say a decent goodbye.

After a few moments to think back he simply directed his attention back to the environmental statistics, Ashley allowed his head to fall into an open palm "This is absolutely mental, by the looks of it there'll be more casualties to illness and fatigue than anything else." there was no effort made to keep opinions to himself.
[hr]
[h2][color=f08080]First Contact[/color][/h2]
It was excellent, they'd met the flying spaghetti monster, spoke to a few furry hobbits and found out that they were fighting the real life tusken raiders. Now they were outside the wire in the thick running about dressed in barbie's discards. He drew himself out of his brief thoughts with haste, returning to surveying the area around himself and remaining conscious of foot-placement, given how relatively quiet the forest was and just how little he really knew of his enemies capabilities. Back on Earth animals could hear things like rustling or snapping twigs from a ranges human hearing simple did not register but the negligent discharge of a firearm, well that was just plain audible. Ashley made to be extra careful, rifle trained in whichever direction his head turned, trigger finger rested readily along the guard prepared to relocate itself and let rounds pop off, footfalls checked and steady. 

To his two o'clock just over six metres ahead of himself walked the platoon sergeant, a small man that couldn't have been over five-eight but Ashley could tell the man was a real straight shooter, he had that 'I'm not looking to play games' demeanour about him with a bit of a wittiness about him, the two hadn't really spoken but he knew his name was Boggs. The two found themselves halting and taking a knee as a hand signal made it's way down, Atwater received it from the platoon sergeant and simply turned about to cover the rear.

Slowly Atwater directed himself to the right, eyes flicking to the slight ridge at just under 25m that he could just barely see through thick shrubbery that surrounded them, his observations were disrupted as Boggs gave him a tap, they were moving. 

Atwater kept on the platoon sergeants heels as they made their way up front, kneeling down beside the leadership elements as they conversed and planned. The medic kept his weapon down range and snapped his magnifier into place to get better visuals, [i]'Fuck me, that is one big doggo.'[/i] Ashley thought to himself, giving a quiet glance back to Collins. The platoon sergeant soon moved to his own position after Major Collins and the section he had moved with had repositioned themselves, Ashley had noticed a shift in the wind, just a slight breeze that blew a loose strap from his rucksack in the direction of the enemy.

[i]The wind was shifting.[/i]

Down the sight of his weapon the platoon sergeant could just about make out the shifts in posture of their new enemy, the original six were soon being joined by an additional nine from ten and one o'clock respectively, the one who seemed to be in a leadership position sniffed at the air curiously though very slowly began to level its weapon their direction, Boggs took no chance "Weapons free, weapons free!" came through clearly over the net, firing commenced, incoming and outgoing it was loud, caused displacement of loose foliage and the shattering of the less strengthened branches, native bird-like fauna overhead began to disperse from their perches some flying high others frantically low between the gunfight, Atwater himself knelt behind one of those shroom-trees taking shots from a non-standard position, his arse planted on the side of his left foot, body contorted in a sideward hunch with right leg partially extended, casings steadily ejected from his firearm as he fired semi-automatically.

[i]Two rounds, two rounds, two rounds.[/i]