[hr] [center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/180808/e6d97584a3be9d6e21c1fd983b7deea7.png[/img][/center] [hr] Easy Company’s muster station was a mess; there were reports of fights breaking out even before the arrival to Hesperus but the large ship usually allowed an easy escape from scrapes and bruises. The close proximity of everyone in the muster station further exacerbated the situation and made it apparent to Michael, the other two lieutenants, and the Company C.O. – Captain Rupert Mckinnerd, a Federal officer. Michael and the other two lieutenants from Easy Company’s three platoons have been observing the men ever since they got on the ship. The conversation they all had on the matter was grim to put it lightly - they reckoned that if the troopers couldn't get their act together, they might as well be declared dead before they even left the ship. As they entered the muster station Michael shouted, [color=lime]”Officer on deck!”[/color] his order was echoed all around for all to hear as Captain Mckinnerd came in, combat gear ready. [b]”Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re leaving this boat, I’ll be seeing you all on the ground! Get to your drop-pods! Lieutenants, you have ten minutes before the hammer falls, brief your men one more time before that happens!”[/b] Mckinnerd’s voice bounced all over the Muster station and right after he announces the time to leave, the rest of the lieutenants including Michael start hollering for their platoon to follow them to the drop stations. [color=lime]”First platoon on me! We’re dropping in ten minutes! ON THE DOUBLE!"[/color] the drop-pods were right outside of the ODIN muster stations. The Drop-pod station was just a long hall with many cylindrical tubes and doors that lead straight into the drop-pods themselves. The platoon was in two long lines by the time they reached their drop-pod station. [color=lime]”First platoon! I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but to brief you all just before we launch. Easy is leading the 506th up the ant-hill while Dog and Charlie squeeze the sides. We’ll act as a wedge and confuse their lines even further. To those who’re straight from boot, this is no longer [i]’wargames and simulations’[/i] watch your asses out there – We might not drop in all together.”[/color] Michael opened his drop-pod, which was the signal that gave everyone else the heads up that it was time to go. He climbed in and enabled its launch sequence, he reached towards his right side and flipped a switch which allowed him to guide the pod in atmosphere to some degree; he reached over to the left and flipped another switch, which allowed the counter measure system to deploy once they hit fifty thousand feet above the ground. Counter measure debris would land in a scatter and is relatively harmless depending on gravity and atmospheric density. Once Michael was complete with his pre-launch checks, he noticed the red light turn on in the hallways, which indicated all the troopers were in their pods. When the green light came on, they were shot down the tube. As they cleared the ship, the planet’s surface was clear, they were landing on a sunny day. As they looked at the space straight ahead of their pods, they could see that even in space they were under attack. The glow of missile exhausts and explosions and were all around them. Inside the pod, they could feel the rumble as they started to encounter atmospheric resistance; the thrusters came on to slow their descent as well as the on board air breaks. As they hit fifty thousand feet they hear a loud bang indicating that the decoys have been launched. If one were to look at the sky with Radar it would look like five regiments of troopers were dropping out of the sky, when really it was only one. The ground came closer and closer and the fire coming from their objective began to shoot up at them. Some were completely destroyed, others were damaged and knocked off course, and for the lucky ones – a decoy saved their life. When the troopers finally reached the ground and deployed, they encountered immediate enemy resistance. Michael was lucky to have landed on dry land. He took out his weapons and started returning fire almost immediately; a few other troopers were able to join up with him with the rest of Easy company unaccounted for. [b]”SIR!”[/b] As Michael dove into cover behind some fallen trees, a trooper called out to him, [b]”LIEUTENANT! CAPTAIN MCKINNERD WAS HIT DURING THE DROP! HE IS MIA, YOU’RE ACTING COMPANY CO! SIR![/b] [color=lime]"Fuck"[/color] Michael cursed under his breath and brought up his rifle to shoot at the advancing enemy who were now beginning to come down from the hill and fight them on the forest floor. [color=lime]”TELL THE REST OF THE COMPANY THAT THE ENEMY HAS DEFENSES ON THE FOREST FLOOR! LOOK OUT FOR TRAPS AND MINES! IF POSSIBLE CAPTURE THE DEVICE OR AT THE VERY LEAST DOCUMENT IT! WE ARE TO REGROUP AT THE BASE OF THE HILL! TROOPERS, ADVANCE!"[/color] as he finished barking out orders, he threw a smoke grenade to cover the advance at that particular sector. He instructed the rest of the troopers to start laying down smoke and cover fire so that they could advance closer and drive the enemy back up the ant-hill.