Jogging off the ship and running up the thin metal stairs we began surveying for targets and dialing in for distances. The area around the fort having a uneven, but function clearing of cut down trees and clear ground.
"Raptor to Razor. We seem to be relatively clear so I say we started setting up ordinance." Razor gave a firm reply as I looked to Flint. "You are clear to set up explosives along the south wall. If you run out you can set up some make shift grenade traps. Got string in the supply box I bet." The man nodded before jogging off.
"Smith and Jenny. You two are on overwatch and I will have your asses if I lose my explosive specialist. Even if he blows himself up." Both men nodded and earnestly watched out towards where the clearing stopped and began becoming thick jungle.
It was not just our side setting this up but everyone. Only contact started at north and began only half a hour in as we picked up large amounts of movement. "Possible contacts, coming from the North!" The turret already being set up was turned that way but kept off.
Needed to save the battery after all. "Flint! Get your ass back up here!" I called over comms and getting a "Yes Sergeant" in reply.
It was a tense ten minute standoff. Rifles were gripped hard and eyes scanned the jungle edge until we were sure we saw things. Soon the all clear was sent out and the alert status came down as we began the preparing explosives again. "Raptor to Razor. Did you get eyes on whatever that was?"
The squad Leader channel blew up as Apollo and Hammer asked the same. "Negative on that but we felt a rumble as if a herd of large animals were going by."
We all complained over comms. Swearing that if they were bulletproof like the last fellows, we would hunt down the guy who sent us here and make him fight the beasts off with a spoon.
Day one was filled with repeated false alarms that led to nothing more then jumpy recruits and even one misfire that but nowhere. I hit that guy and told him to at least hit something that bleeds.
We also set up Small flood lights on the walls that would allow night vision to not be absolute crap. Night time on this planet was a new type of scary as everything seem to be silent. No bugs, no wind that moved trees or grass. It was eery.
No one got any sleep that night either eve as we all pulled guard with half of our forces sleeping and the either on overwatch.
Day Two was more or less the same except we got to see the wildlife that inhabited this planet. We called it a dear but it was twice as large with gleaming metal horns, a leathery hide that was a mix between a soft shade of green and blue.
All of us were sure it would skewer us with ease and decided to not shoot and cook it. Protein bars only went so far.
Day Three was quiet and most of us adjusted to the silence of the night for decent sleep. Though we all tried to stay still so we would keep are ears open and not listen to metal on metal shuffling.
Day Four. Mid day was when the weird shit started to happen. The hill we were on shuddered, the forest around the whole clearing rustled as if enemies were circling our encampment. Everyone was worried and yet again, lack of sleep hit us.
Day Five. Said Hill shuddered again and we all swore something under the ground moved. We stabbed it with a knife to check and see if we could kill it out of sheer boredom and how scared we were. The thought of are base being alive had us on edge again.
Day Six. The North side of the forest burst open and several dozen, armored looking reptiles ran forward. We of course open fired and even shifted over a few people to watch and makes sure we were not overun.
Luck was on are side and the firearms we were issued worked. Cutting through Scales and penetrating flesh as we turned beasts in to metal porcupines. The engagement did not last more then a few minutes and with only two claynores on that side going off.
We thought it was over until another rush of the same critters came out from the East side. The same event repeated twice more and hit every direction of our tiny hill fort. Then we learned why the night time was so quiet.
The previously killed beasts that were supposed to STAY dead moved. It screamed in yo the night air, we all screamed back but in different language as we shot all of then again.
Day Seven a new plan was set in motion. "Thomas. I do not think any of us signed up to deal with zombie anything." Alex mentioned in the morning and I whole heartily agreed. "So I suggest we dig a mass burial pit and stick all those things inside before burning them."
I was with the idea definetly but. "Wont those attract more predators? Smell of meat and all?" Glenn pointed out his observation. "I am not a biology nerd by any sense of the word as I prefer the tech. But that idea might come with problems."
We scratched our collective heads. "I am in favor for at least digging a pit. Maybe put it where are turret covers incase of a mass outbreak?" I am sorry. I had to at least get one zombie joke in there. Most snorted and shook there heads.
The Pit and turret thing was made before nightfall. It was even quite deep since you had a dozen highly motivated people not wanting to deal with zombie lizards. We of course made sure it was outside of the mined zone. Rather not waste to many of those claymores.
The night was quiet on day seven. No massive horde or more things out to attack the fort. Just the eery silence.
I am not going to go over the rest of the uneventful days. the last two were the most important after all. The endings always suck as everything comes out of the literal woodwork. Just it was a horde of ants.
Said ants were about the size of a adult Male and the hill we were on seemed to one of the entrances inside there nest. The shuddering was them trying to push upwards but met the Murphys law bottom hull plates.
We were very much happy and quite scared as the literal horde rolled over the jungle toppling trees as they hit the clearing in a frenzy. "Fuck me sideways with a brick!"
The firefight was intense to say the least. They hit us from the South and we were the first to engage as we opened fired and shredded through them like paper. One to two shots dropping a ant only to have his buddies climb over it.
"Raptor to Overseer. We could use some Artillery on the South side!" I said over the radio. Overseer being the name of are lord and savior main ship cannon.
And a savior it was as the ship fired, the sheer blasting force rattling the platoons ears before new craters began appearing in the field. Full of dead monsters burnt to a crisp.
Sadly. it seemed to only anger them as another horde hit us to the east. Hammer squad getting in to combat again. "This is Razor. I say we keep the turret off for now!" The rest of us agreeing as Apollo and Razor squad shifted a person over to fortify.
Sadly they had to run back as before long we were surrounded and it felt cliche really. On a bug filled planet, killing them I the hundreds? Movie material. I got a headache thinking about that more so I stopped.
"Reloading!" Basic squad tactics always come in handy. Reloading drills even more so as while Jenny and Flint reloaded me and Smith began firing faster. A constant fire rate is always better then waiting for everyone to slap a fresh magazine in every half a dozen seconds.
"North side requesting Turret Fire! We got bigger guys rolling in!" By this point the bugs were hitting our first layer of mines. Stacked bodies blowing away while chunks of green goo and body parts rained down. "Do it! Just Use that damn battery until it fucking breaks! Smith, I need you handing out fresh magazines!"
Most do not understand how much ammo and person goes through in a legitimate firefight. Five hundred rounds might sound like a lot until you were wondering how you were already through your first magazine in a dozen seconds.
Also, thank God we no longer had casings for rounds. We would be knee deep and tripping by this point as most of the entire platoon was in to there third rotation of magazines. The Turret itself running through 3 whole boxes itself.
"Flint, dumb that green can and go grab another. Shit make it two!" My explosive specialist ran like his ass was on fire but by this point the horde was no more. But it had reached a point where we were aiming down the wall to hit targets.
"Everything all good on your sides?" Affirmatives all around was good. Only now a second though popping in after a victory. "Hey umm..guys. Wont all these things turn into zombies?"
All of went as silent as this world's night time. Before all of us said one word. "Fuck!"