The Flin Wars Ch. 02

This is the second part of a multipart story. As always, any mistakes are mine alone. Constructive criticism is always welcome, please no whining. This is a work of fiction, it's made up, any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.

Date: 231908.19

Time: 1942.55

Location: Flag Bridge, USS Arc Royal CVS 42

'Sargent Rain, the shittiest Marine in the Corps history.' I retorted back. 'Fallen into any dunga piles lately?'

'I didn't fall private.' He quickly retorted stepping up to me, his nose just inches from my own. 'I was pushed, as you well know maggot.'

He growled into my face and we both start laughing and grabbed each other in a deep bear hug. 'How the hell are you ya ugly bastard?' I smacked Bobby on the back. 'I lost track of you after Ceti 9, the medics didn't hold out much hope for your ugly ass.'

'Alive, well and still kicking boot assess.' He grumped back. 'Look at you, a Squadron Commander. Ye Gods, someone in High Command has totally lost what was left of their mind.'

'Oh, listen to the pot here.' I quipped back. 'It's blatantly obvious that the Corp has scrapped through the bottom of the proverbial barrel in making you a light Coronel.' We both laughed and hugged yet again then turned to the ADM. who was watching us.

'I take it from this vulgar little display.' He said pointing at the both of us standing shoulder to shoulder. 'That you 2 just might know each other.'

Bobby spoke up first. 'Sir you may not be able to tell by looking at this well-groomed, hot shot fighter pilot, that not a dozen years ago he was a gangly, pimple faced, wild eyed boot marine that couldn't tell his right from his left.' He laughed, 'Little lone hold a weapon or clean it properly and needed to be told even when to breathe.'

I quickly slugged Bobby in the shoulder. 'Don't let this imposter in an Officers uniform fool you Sir.' I snapped back. 'He can't tell his left from his right and just thinks he knows what he's doing. Hell, he even seems to have a knack for finding and then falling into dunga piles.' That quip earned me an elbow in the ribs, I barely even moved.

'Well Gentlemen, and it's obvious I'm using that term loosely.' the Adm quietly said. 'I want you to enter the 'object' and strip her of any and all codes, logbooks, data chips, download the Nav. logs, and anything else you can find that'll help end this war.' Hell, I was all for that. 'Bobby, I want you to handle the security aspect of this mission.'

'Yes Sir.' Bobby said after coming to attention.

'John, seeing how you're our Quasi expert on this class of ship, and you'll have a translator to help you both, I want you to take overall command once your inside.'

'Yes Sir.' I quickly said. 'I'll need to change into a battle suit and go through debrief. I suppose I can debrief afterwards.' I looked over at Bobby. 'You got a spare battle suit I can borrow clumsy?' I asked knowing full well he did, he just looked at me with a blank smirk on his face.

'Yeah, I might have a suit or two that'll fit your dumb ugly ass.' He said then saluted the Adm. 'Permission to withdraw Sir so I can outfit the village idiot.' Several officers chuckled as the Adm tried to keep a straight face. He returned the salute. 'Very well clumsy and ugly, get out of here and take care of business.'

I came to attention and saluted him. 'Aye Aye Sir.' we both said and executed a perfect about face and headed out the hatch then over to the lift.

'Hit O2 ya clumsy shit so I can drop my flight gear off at life support.' I told him after we'd entered the lift.

He hit the right button and sighed. 'We're gonna have to do this fast, you know that right ya ugly fucker.' He rubbed his eyes as I rotated my neck to work out a few kinks and yawned. 'I figure we got about 30 to 90 minutes to do this, and we've already used most of that up, this could go sideways real fast John, we both know that.'

I scratched my head and yawned yet again, the downside of wearing the flight gear I have to wear is that it's about 90 pounds that hangs from my neck, shoulders and hips, and that's without the helmet on. A battle suit was over 200 pounds but if properly fitted it was all over your body and when powered up almost as light as a feather. It had been 8+ years since I last wore a battle suit and this one would not be a custom fit, I really needed to start working out more.

'Yeah, if this shit goes south our assess are going to be in a blender so we'll have to move fast. Luckily everything, we need to hit is on just 3 levels O5, 8, and 9 levels. Comms, and the Flag and Central Bridges. All 3 have armored hatches and are going to need a good demo guy or 3.' I said as the lift stopped, and we got off. 'You wouldn't happen to know any do you, because god knows you've got 10 clumsy thumbs when it comes to explosives.'

He shot me the finger.

I opened the door to the Squadron ready room and poked my head in, I saw my XO Bill Stern updating the flight board. 'Bill, contact debrief and have the new kid report to me in life support double time. Also get every fighter refueled and rearmed in case we need to jump.' I quickly said.

'Yes Sir.' He quickly replied. 'Who do you want to lead if we scramble Boss, me?'

I smiled and heard him tell the duty PO to recall the pilots to the ready room and call the bomb farm next as I headed to my next stop.

'Kinda high strung, maybe he should switch to decaf.' Bobby quipped as we stepped into life support, and I started shedding my flight gear and placing it in my slot.

'My gears good Sam, it just needs a recharge.' I said as the head rigger PO1 Sam Harbor came over.

'I'll give it the once over Sir, I know what to look for.' He quietly said and slid my gear out. 'The new kid Todd put Hawkeye on his locker.' I told him, he replied with a nod.

Bill came in and began to strip out of his ship suit and started to don his flight gear. 'Everything's set Stalker, if we have to jump, we'll have the birds to put in the fight.' He said. 'The new kid should be here fairly soon; he was just about done when I called. Thrasher said his new name is Hawkeye, that true boss?'

I nodded 'The kid has fantastic eyesight Bill and those in the flight agreed to it, so let it ride.' I said as I pulled on my shipboard flight suit. 'Okay Boss I got no heartburn over it.'

It was at that point the kid, as I still thought of him came through the door panting. 'You wanted.. to see me.. Sir.' He gasped out as I stood by my locker.

Bobby looked over at me with a frown on his face. 'Please tell me you're not gonna do what I know you're going to do Stalker.' He groaned.

I just smiled at him and listened to him sigh. 'Get out of your gear me bucko, we're going a plunderin, yarrrr.' I said in a fake pirate voice. Bill, Bobby and Sam all groaned, rolled their eyes and shook their heads, Tommy Todd just looked at me like I had just lost my mind. 'Move son, let's go, get changed, chop chop.' I said snapping my fingers at him. I watched him start stripping out of his gear.

'You ever wear a battle suit Mr. Todd?' Bobby asked finally.

'Uh, Yes Sir, second year at the academy Sir.' Todd replied as Bobby just shook his head no. 'This is a bad idea, John; you know that right.'

I closed my locker, 'And sense when did you become Mr. Responsible, hmmm? I seem to remember a certain Sargent who was just chocked full of bad ideas.' I said looking over at him. 'Remember Station Hudson? Level 23? Bunda's Bar? or has the lack of hair also damaged that thing you claim to be a brain.'

'And who dragged your boot ass out of that bar Private?' He snapped back. I smiled at him. 'Corporal Rainer as I remember, Private Cole hauled you out and Doc Kay put 32 stitches in your ass goofy.' I snapped back. He grumbled and went nose to nose with me again.

'This is still a bad idea asshole.' He growled, turned and poked Tommy in the chest. 'Fuck this up boot, and I'll leave your useless ass behind.' He snarled and stormed out the door grumbling all the way.

'Don't worry Hawkeye, fuck up or not, leaving anyone behind isn't Grump's style.' 'Yes Sir.' He said and finished getting dressed as Bill and I held a quick conversation, he stood there quietly.

'Let's go kid, today's bad decision ain't gonna make themselves.' I said and headed out the door and back towards the lifts and went down to the 2nd deck then headed aft.

The great thing about ships is that once the armored airtight hatches are closed, barring any hits in your area you'll most likely survive. Providing the reactor vessel isn't damaged or breached that is. Warships are designed to take hit after hit and keep on slugging it out.

I knew where the MarDet. was and a few minutes later was heading down the ladder to the sounds of NCO's giving orders. Men and women were suiting up, I just stood there few a few seconds breathing it all in and remembering the times I had done the same thing while getting ready for a drop.

The memories came rushing back to a time when I was young, dumb, full of cum and bullet proof. I inhaled deeply and that action caught the attention of a young private who had been checking her weapon over.

'Attention on deck.' She yelled out and I watched everyone pop to, I had to smile to myself remembering all the times I had done that. A small Sargent hurried over and saluted me. 'Sargent Gunn Sir, may I be of assistance to the Commander.' She asked.

I waved in the general direction of my right eye and smiled. 'Yes Sargent Gunn, can you tell me where the head asshole is hiding out at right now.' I said it loud enough that quite a few Marines heard me. I watched them stiffen up knowing they wanted to try to kick my ass.

'The Coronel is in his office Sir; shall I get him for you Sir.' She replied icily.

I was about to pop off again when I heard Bobby. 'Don't worry about it Brenda, I'll take care of fuck head from here. The rest of you idiot's finish getting ready.' 'Sir, alright you heard the man hurry the fuck up.' She snapped and moved off.

I smiled at him as he waved the both of us in. 'Still making friends everywhere ya go I see, you always did have a big mouth and a pea sized brain. Even as a boot Marine you were an idiot. He looked me over. 'It's obvious you just got older, uglier, and dumber.' I just laughed and looked over at a couple of Marines who had heard the whole thing. 'Yep, Marine I was just like you once upon a time. If we make it through all of this, I'll tell you a few things about your Coronel here.' and winked.

'Come on asshole.' He grumped and took us to his office and the 2 sets of armor. 'What are they Mk.V's Bobby? hell, we had the Mk.III all those years ago.' I said and started to check mine out.

'Yep, got the V's just before we deployed 6 months ago. Glad we did those IVs had a cooling problem. These are the first off, the line so they have a few bugs, but the Tech Reps keep them up and running.'

Luckily for me the controls and interfaces where similar to Mk. III's I had worn all those years ago. 2 Sargent's came in both fully dressed in their Battle suits. 1 was the Company 1st Sargent who went over to Tommy to help him. The other was SGT. Gunn who still had an icy look in her eyes, she saluted me. 'I'm here to assist the Commander.' She said and watched me finish check the suit over.

I pealed out of my flight suit and donned the lower half of my suit, adjusting the sensor pads to their appropriate places, tightening them to me. Brenda stuck her small hands in to check my placement and simply nodded her approval. She helped me pull on the upper half and place the sensor pads yet again then lock the 2 together. The suit came to life, and I performed a few squats to get the feel of the suit.

Brenda looked at me with a questioning look on her face. 'Feels good Bobby, I like the new knee and ankle action.' I told him as he watched from a corner. I donned the armored gloves and walked over to the Table and began to attach ammo pouches to my waist, I then picked and checked the XM-771 Bullpup rail Assault rifle, made sure it was unloaded and slid in an ammo/power Mag in. I then attached the dummy cord to its anchor point on the armor. I then checked my Mk.XXI rail pistol and loaded it then placed it in the holster on my waist. The combat knife went against my left shoulder pummel down, I flexed the suit and felt completely at home.

'Feel like old home week Private.' Bobby asked looking me over. I just smiled and checked myself over yet again. 'Yep just like the drop at Paris 6.' I said. 'The brass told us it would be a cake walk.' I looked over at him. '8 of us were still moving when the RCT finally hit dirt, what was it 37 dead, 42 wounded. Last time I ever believed in a cake walk Bobby, it cost us too much. Then those bastards tried to give is the shitty end of the stick and blame us for the screw up.' I walked over and picked up my helmet, then looked at the 4 people standing there. 'Let's go to work and crack this fucking egg Sarge.' I walked out into the main squad bay followed by Bobby, Tommy the 1st SGT and SGT Gunn. It was time to go to work.

'AH-ten-huH!' The sound of 147 sets of boots coming together at the heel made a satisfying 'CRACK'. a large Gunny SGT. turned to face us as Bobby stepped up to him. 'Sir!, Alpha Squad suited, booted and ready for inspection, Sir.' Bobby nodded and looked his troops over as I did too, I saw 150 bad assess. all with their war faces on. Even those who weren't going were ready.

'At ease. Today we are joined by a blast from the past Marines. Before he became a hot shot fighter jock, I had the pain of taking him from boot to absolute bad ass.' 'Hooooorrraaaahhh!!' 149 voices came back.

'This ugly fucker is no REMF, he was and, in my opinion, still is a shooter and a looter and has cost the Flin trillions of credits every time he bangs off the front end of this bird farm.' ' Get some Airedale.' They growled back. 'Ladies and gentlemen, CDR John Stalker Bishop the 6th CO of VFA 126 The Grim Reapers.' I stepped forward and shook hands with Bobby.

'Afternoon Marines.' I boomed out. 'Afternoon Sir.' 'Today is a mission that I know you've all been trained for, a smash and grab of a Flin Carrier Island. Our target areas are the O5 primary comms space.' Behind me a scan of the object popped up on the data screens with the general areas highlighted in green. 'The O8 Flag bridge and the O9 Primary bridge areas and the berthing areas for the CO, XO and Navigator. I want those areas cleaned out of any and all Data chips and pads, data logs, any log and code books, anything that can help us. In short strip it all.'

'Demo teams, your job is to crack this egg open, security teams keep your head on a swivel and your booger hooks indexed on the bang switch. Looters, Intel is sending people with us, listen to what they have to say and bring them and the intel back.' I told them. 'Alive please and in one piece.' They all started laughing.

At that point Secret squirrel came in with several ratings dressed in EVA gear. They were followed by 6 HMs and the SMO. A large Senior Chief followed by several damage control ratings came next, to handle any fires and shore up any collapsed bulkheads or decks. They could cut into a compartment or remove a piece of equipment without damaging the area around it. Their expertise may or may not be useful in this little jaunt.

For the next 10 minutes Bobby and I went over the stack order and who was going where, any questions were answered. 'Okay people any questions or problems?' Bobby asked, nobody answered, and I pulled on my helmet and locked it down. 'Mount up people, let's go to work.' He said and smacked me on the shoulder pad as he passed. I silently turned and followed him up the ladder, smiling. 'Yes,' I thought, 'It was time to go to work.'