Mission Accomplished

I looked up from the terminal showing my email and my heart swelled with pride when I saw the Queen’s message play on the monitors in the landing bay. I will have to answer all of my fan mail later (if you have any for me, feel free to send it right away, though).

With the apprehension of Gervais Baltizar, my team disbanded to go to their home units with commendations for the successful mission. I rode in the Sulaco back to planet Lejeune, home of the USCM’s headquarters and the office of General Puller. After the combat ship slid into orbit, Corporal Ferro and I prepared to drop to the surface in her UD-4L Cheyenne.

The place I normally want to be on these things is in the APC in the back, but for this drop, I am sitting in the copilot’s seat above and behind her.

“You sure you want me here?” I ask. “I sure don’t want to get in your way or anything.”

Ferro turned her head to look at me. I could see the words “Fly the friendly skies” scrawled on her helmet.

“Don’t worry about it, Hudson,” she smiled. “Just stay in your seat and enjoy the ride.”

“I mean, I just don’t wanna, you know…” I gulp.

“Hang on, we’re going for a ride,” she smirked. “Stand by to initiate release sequencer. On my mark. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Mark.”

The bay doors of the Sulaco opened and the dropping claw released its cargo. With a metallic clang, the dropship fell away and towards the atmosphere.

“Wooooooooah!” I yelped. Hitting the atmosphere in these things is never, ever pleasant.

“We’re in the pipe, five by five,” Ferro beamed. The ship continued to rumble and shake as it pounded into the atmosphere.

“Wha-wha-uh-aht does that mean?” I asked as my heart bounced around in my ribcage.

“It means were in the pipe,” Ferro smirked. “And we’re five by five.”

“Iiiiiiiii-nggggggknow that,” I gritted my teeth. “Wha-uh-ah-uh-at is it?”

I think she rolled her eyes. “It means what it means,” she answered with a smile.

The dropship sliced through the sky and the bouncing ceased. Ferro delightedly made the small adjustments to aim her craft to the landing strip. As we drew towards it, she eased off the thrust and brought it to a hover, then dropped it onto its landing skids, right in the middle of the designated landing circle.

I exhaled deeply and unsnapped my restraints. Ferro looked back at me and smiled.

“Going to see the General, huh?”

“Yes I am,” I replied.

“Look sharp,” she advised. “Stay frosty.”

“You know it,” I answered.

I walked down the landing ramp and headed towards the General’s office.