Before the Fire

[Doppler]

"Now approaxing planet Attritus 4, Passenger please prepare for atmospheric travel." Intoned the voice in the dark.
The capsule lights came up from the near perfect darkness and Adrian Jetter stretched as best he could in the crash webbing and blinked in the now too bright light. Fumbling for the controll panels to manualy turn the lights down again he gave one look at the slightly off green planet swirling below and the orbital habitats and factories hovering in space like so many off gray pearls agaisnt the white and black backdrop of space.

He really hadnt mean to fall asleep during meditation, he had always secretely feared sleeping in this things while moving through the void. How he might not be awake if the computer missed something, and he'd wake just soon enough to feel his lungs depresurize along with his eyeballs and brain, the was one thing for sure, even as an orbrat he'd never been one suited for the spacers life.

"Dispensary" He managed to croak out, his throat feeling like old carpet. A menu coming up on the console of difrent items from the onboard food stores. He selected a bottle of water and a motion sickness pill.
"There will be a charge of.....55....credits for this service." Intoned the computers voice as well as the terminal.
He chuckled a bit to himself aware of the circular logic. The capsule, owned by a minor member of the conglomerate, interspace capsule travel, whould charge him for more or less everything, which whould be taken out of his accounts. Which because he was a member of Lone Star Security, which was the conglomerates policing and security arm, whould then be reimbursed to him, most likely at least in part from some of the dues collected from the capsule company. Beuracracy was beautiful in its inneficiancy. He signaled his acceptance of the charge by pressing his thumb to the pad. Taking the bottle and the pill from the tray he first broke the seal and took a long swig to moisten his throat and mouth after many hours of sleep and meditation. Then he tossed back the pill swallowing it with another swig of water.
"Position in landing que is now 45 of 47 expected wait time, 45 standard minuetes." Said the computerized voice as he felt the capsule shudder to a halt.
Jetter scowled half in amusement as he'd been expecting this, carefully reaching into the transparent breast pocket in his jumpsuit that contained his Identicard(TM) he carefully slotted it in the terminal.
"Computer at this time acknowled voice authroization for command authroity. Marshall Jetter Adrian D, Lone Star Security" He said supplying the required pin number and a passcode for complete verification.
"Acknowledged." Said the computer.
"Request priority landing confirmation and calulate re-entry vector, engage when landing approved, dim lights."
Almost immediatly the cabin lights dimmed again and then the roar began as the capsuls thrusters brought it tot he right angle for planetary entry the tiny craft really not much more then a tiny bubble surrounded by deckplating with a set of manuevering thrusters and one large propulsion thruster straped to it was merely just a self propeled version of a drop pod used by the military and paramilitary forces of the galaxy. Albeit with a snack bar and in theory without the chance of getting shot. There was a loud thump as he passed into the atmosphere itself and the roaring fo the increased friction envireoment. Gripping the crash webbing and keeping on eye on the display and the other fixed out the view port as light filled the pod through it. The planet was beautiful a world mostly for research and commerce msot of its major industry done in orbit to avoid the spoiling of the planets almost park like beauty. He could barely glimps in the distanc ethe massive landed troop and equipment ships for the expidition, he imagined he whould be taking up residence on one of those fairly soon. With a thump the pod began its deceleration process as he struggled agaisnt he g-forces pinning him to the wall along with his crash webbing before the capsul landed snugly in the mechanicle cradle that begin to retract back into the recovery and landing building.

To be continued, and for those of you wondeering yes this is related to planetside.

[Doppler]

Elizabeth Neilson stood in the terminal building watching the pods come in one after another. The Pods were collected and brought on a series of retractor arm of the tower complex, there they were lowered on an elevator and their ocupants released at the bottom to stretch their tired muscles. Elizabeth watched Jetter emerge from his Pod rolling his shoulders irritably and scooping up his bag and suitcase. A man of mixed arabic and scandanavian extraction with Jetter towered over most people a solid 6'5 to her not inconsiderable 6' even. She walked to him checking herself in the reflective surface of some neo modern art int he terminal. She smiled happy with what looked back, a strong woman a a military woman, a member of the terran republic military and a force to be reckoned with not some sillly.....
"Little sister!" Said Jetter scooping her up into his arms and hugging her.
She coughed a couple times and was rewarded witha an actual blush from the big man as he put her down back on her feet and then dropped his bag to snap her a salute.
"Captain." He intoned clenching his fist over his heart and bowing his head slightly.
"Marshall." She returned doing the same and then not able to help herself "Big Brother" picking up his stuitcase as he took up his rucksack.
"To you and the rest of the universe." Taking her hand and looking at the wedding ring on her finger. "Wow nice rock, tell me was Alex really worth marrying after you put him in the poor house with that thing."
Some of the men and women in her unit also meeting people at the transport looked at the two of them funny. As his comment actualy set her blushing. No one else in the universe could have gotten away with teasing Captain Nelson AKA firestorm this way without a verbal or possibly physical beating. However Jetter had been her first commander 10 years ago when she was a butter bar LT, he'd not only helped get her career get a start by being a good mentor but introduced her to her future husband as well as asaving both of their careers.
"So your heading up the Corporate Conglomerate portion of the expedition." She asked as they walked to her groundcar.
"Yes at least the security detail portion."
"You really think were going to need all you guys? Plus all the Republic troops.
Jetter looked out of the window at one of the exploration ships. "It's the other end of a wormhole fires, nobody knows whats going to be there."

[Doppler]

I guess ill keep writting these thigns for my own amusement since I dont get any feedback.

At to be expected there was a fairl deep line at customs Jetter and Elizabeth laughed and talked about old times as he waited to pass through the lines. For him customs was really merely a formality, no planet in the leaugue of alligned worlds whould deny his or any emmisary of the big C entrance if they didnt want to face sanctions and other measures. However he had always felt it was best to set a good example for the rank and file. On the psychic sensitivity scale by design and training Jetter rated a 0-Omega-0. In laymans terms that mean that if his thought patterns had anymore resistance to counter pattern influence his right and his left brain whould have trouble talking. Still there was a fine line between precognition and instinct. He couldnt quite put his finger on it but something was just that slightest degree off in the terminal building. He mentioned this to Elizabeth who pointed out that he was always a little jumpy after a long space flight something about the way he was wired.
"I still remember that time on that asteroid colony when you made the drop already to fight you'd already surrendered." She pulled a soda out of a conveniently located machine and opened it. She took a sip. "When you found out that they'd already surrendered and that our off planet ride whouldnt be due in for a week you grabbed a parka and a book on the planets fauna and headed off into the ice pack. By the way, do you still have the teeth fromt hat ice shark?"
"Yea somewhere in my kit back at in storage." Said Jetter, he hoped he'd matured a bit and that this wasnt just his latent urge to kill something driving him right now, something did definitely seem off. He passed through the customs line, scanned his palm for the board looking woman at the counter showed his ID and moved on. Stepping out in front of the bulding and down the stairs they approached the curb side where elizabeth's husband had the car waiting
Suddenly it orrcured to Jetter what had been wrong with the picture. No third party nationals had been present at the terminal. Everyone there was either conglomerate affiliated, republic affiliated or a civilian. It was extremely odd not even to have an other company representitives nor foreign national present. He was about to mention this to Elizabeth when he heard the engine roar of the first transport truck rumbling through the baricades its runflat tires not even slowed by the stop sticks, it's angle adjusting to draw a bead on him and firestorm.

[Nazsteph]

I think this is very good, I am impressed. You have a way with words that brings something extra to the prose.

My only problem is one of readability, I would like spaces in between the paragraphs, its kinda hard to follow the flow when all the paragraphs run together.

But, then that just might be me.

Overall great job

[Doppler]

"Christ and Hunter." Whispered Jetter quietly as the transport came speeding towards him and beth. Without thinking he shoved Beth out of the line of the speeding vehicle, murmering a prayer as the extra wide truck slammed into him and then into the wall with a wet sounding crunch.
Elizabeth didnt have time to think about what just happened propelled by the force of jetters shove she tucked her shoulder and head and raised her arm to ease into a roll. Uncliping the holster and drawing her repeater pistol she came up in an even crouch her instincts sharpened to diamond points by the death of her friend.
The first two men exiting from her side of the van leveling sweeper shotguns to bear signifigantly underestimated for her. 6 clipped shots with surgeons percision rang out, 2 to each chest 1 through each face plate. She swiftly circled around the rear of the vehicle poping a fresh clip in quickly ready to take on the percieved 2 other occupants. She was a little suprised to see the two other occupants pulled partialy under the vehicle their helmets ripped off and blood running from their faces unconcious on the ground, she was even more suprised when Jetter through the shotgun at her catching it more out of reflex then anything.

[Doppler]

Jetter Growled, his stomach felt like crap, his ribs were broken, his internals seriously damaged. Normally he didnt allow himself to practice much emotion, emotion got soldiers killed, and Jetter was first and foremost a soldier. However this day was turning out to be a real tuskcat so far. Hunkered down behind the transport vehicle the metalic ping of the other vehicles main canno ricocheting off the armored hull. Beth was stills taring at him funny, that was going to take a little white lie or an explanation later, and as much as he loved respected and feared beth he'd be goddamned if he was going to tell anyone tied to the republic his big secret ever again.

So now he had the tactical problem, how to get around the vehicle, kill the guy operating that other machine gunner, get inside, get the status on any civies still in the air terminal, stop whatever these guys were here for, and figure out where the hell was the response force.

He sighed, one problem at a time. Fortunately that problem was answered by a very distinctive THUNK followed by a SWOOSH and a cry of "Fire in the hole!"