NationStates Jolt Archive

Admiral Whetherby stood on the bridge of the Union Super battleship UNS Ressurection. The QCS was busy performing final checks on their weapons and getting prepped for a beach landing. His first officer was observing the enemy ships and shouted. "Sir, they've got AN insignia! And thats not it either, some have dominion insignias and several are unidentified!" Below the decks clammored with life, the 24 double barrled guns roared to life, ripping into the nemy fleet. "Confirmed hit on an aircraft carrier, shes sinking!" He was determined to hold out until the very end.

did this spawn from another RPG?

Mick looked out over the water as he headed for a landing craft. He noticed that all Dominion vessels in the battle group were marked not with the Dominion Gold Eagle, but with the logo of the Dominion Intelligence Ministry.
That bastard. He wouldn't...
OOC: Getting the plot twists all fired up already!
IC2:
Mick rushed toward the landing craft as one of the Dominion Maelstrom class frigates opened up with their smaller bore cannons on the UHC vessel.

did this spawn from another RPG?

OOC: Yup, a chain of five

Dagger-5 was ready to hit these attackers with everything he had. Whoever they were, he blamed them for the loss of his friend, and he intended to get revenge.

"No one will go unpunished, I cannot allow this to stand."

OOC: yes, and if you look at the title, is the last mission, so its to late.

IC; Ed Dashed to his room and grabbed what he could, his H&K XM* carbine, his H&K MP7, grenades, ammo, the whole lot. He continued to scramble around, the deck rocked beneath his feet as he scrambled to the landing craft.

"Sir, the union armada has arrived!" Shouted an enthusiastic sailor. Admiral Wetherby turned and looked at the radar, sure enough, twenty five friendly IFFs were on the monitor and quickly approaching, most of the battle group was comprised of Super battleships, Battleships and destroyers. Now we stand a fighting chance...

OOC: If I may continue with yet more plot twists...
IC:
A large force came out of the west at the edge of RADAR readings, their configurations matching the Dominion vessels in the AN fleet exactly. They came in on full steam, a waterbourne juggernaut. Once close enough, battleships opened fire with everything they had. Shells whistled toward the Resurrection...and shot right over it as they collided with four of the Dominion Intelligence vessels. As they got closer, the massive national flag was seen flying over every warship. Over the com channel this was heard:
"Attention UHC fleet, this is Rear Admiral Sanders of the Dominion Presidential Navy. Those vessels currently in line with the AN fleet are not, I repeat are not representing Dominion interests in this matter. They are enemies of the State and will be dealt with swiftly."

General lawrence woke up, surronded by soldiers wearing familar uniforms. "About time you woke up." Said the man in the mask. "Was beging to think that heart attack you had was actually genuine." He tried to move but the sldiers restrained him. "Tut tut, not so fast. Let me show you who you oh so willingly worked for to get the first chance at it..." The masked man wrapped his fingers around the edges of his mask and pulled it free. Shock and disbelief showed all at once on General Lawrences face.

Mick was the first onboard the landing craft. As he was getting ready to lower it, shells whistled over the ship and four Dominion frigates went under in a hail of lead. He looked quizzically over the horizon and saw a mass of gray steel headed toward them.
"What the hell?"
He didn't pay it any more thought as he prepped to get to the shore.

"Attention all vessels, this is Admiral Kamarov of Shenyang Naval Armada - Black Group. We cannot allow you to destroy this island."

A cluster of vessels focused on a Nimitz class carrier moved to support the Ressurrection. Then two massive black shapes emerged from the water in the middle of the group. Shenyang's ace in the hole. The 2 Ragnarok-class submersible battleships.

"Dominion Intelligence vessels, I trust that in time you will learn to forgive us for this. Begin NIKE Arsenal Sub launch operations."

Beside each Ragnarok, the water erupted in a wall of geysers and fire. Over 100 anti-ship missiles rocketed into the sky, and then droped to just above the water level.

"I never get sick of watching that. Begin main gun firing procedures."

The panels of the vessels opened revealing her 20 inch main guns. They locked onto various targets and thundered as the shells left the barrels.

Dagger-5 stared at the ships.

"THAT IS WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!!!!!"

Admiral Whetherby got on the loudspeaker. "Glad for the help Admiral Sanders, could use a helping hand till the rest of the fleet gets here." Behind the line of the fleet, the Union destroyers opened fire with missles, the battle ships trained their guns on the nerest targets. And the line were drawn.

OOC: Gotta get off for the night. :(

A marine ran up to wher te QCS members were assembled. "C'mon, get to the boats!" He shouted before dashing off into a wall of sea spray. Ed followed suite a waited for the rest of thesquad in the boat. A familar sensation came over him, that familar feeling he got when he plunged into the thick of battle.

OOC: Ditto for me, gotta go...on the birght side, it means the others can catch up

The Union fleet arrived just in time, and broadcasted over every channel on the radios. A low chant at first, then louder and louder as they neared. When they were in firing distance, the chanting stopped. All the channels were dead with slience. Untila single word shattered it to pieces. "FIRE!" Camethe screams from every single ship, and hundreds of heavy cannon shot streaked towards the enemy, ripping into the line. The Allied Nations fleet stil outnumbered them, but each facation in the final batte had brought its best commanders into the fray. The "grey ghost" Admiral Whetherby of the Union Navy, Admiral Kamarov of the Shenyang Navy And Rear Admiral Sanders of the Dominion Navy.

OOC: All right, the thread stops at this point for tonight. And tommorow, the shocking, earthshattering secret that thousands are willing to die for...... Also, the final fate of the QCS!


Man, this is the highest energy mission thread since mission two, I gotta do more high energy stuff more often...

Dagger-5's landing craft roared toward the beach through the battle which occurred all around them. He looked at the marines in the craft with him.

"Alright, when we hit the beach, stay together, keep each other covered and shoot to kill. You know the drill boys. Lets hit 'em."

He racked the slides of his XD's and waited for the vessel to arrive. A moment passed, and then the landing craft pulled up onto the beach. The door dropped and all hell broke loose. Bullets flew in all directions as Dagger-5 ran forward with his XD's coughing. The marines covered D5 as he ran toward the buildings. Pavement exploding all around him as he ran. He swung himself into a dive and twisted to see one of the enemies, clad in all black, firing at him from very poor cover.

"Goodbye."

He fired the rest of the remainder of his current mags into the man, 5 rounds. He dropped in a pool of blood. Dagger-5 got up and took cover where this man had been and reloaded Face/Off style, then holstered his pistols, readying the Tavor 2. He got up and began running again. The marines were methodically clearing the area behind him, but he had to get the anti-armor weapons to support the QCS.

He charged forward, engaging everyone who turned to engage him.

---

Meanwhile a lone SH-60R Sea Hawk, with the word 'Excalibur' emblazoned on one of the engines, lifted off from the carrier deck of the SNS Shiva and headed for the island. Inside the chopper were a pilot, co-pilot, and one more individual. This man took control of the chopper's minigun and said to the pilot, over their radios, "Get me in an orbit around the island, I want to support the retaking of this place."

"Roger that sir, preparing to begin first orbit, altitude is 150, airspeed 200."

The pilot and co-pilot looked at each other and exchanged looks, this man had to be insane to order this kind of move.

---

Admiral Kamarov looked to the bridge crew of the Ragnarok.

"Order the Thanatos to submerge and reposition off the DIF's stern."

"Aye sir."

The Thanatos re-sealed its gun bays and quickly submerged for such a massive vessel. It engaged its quadruple jet drives and moved back from the area of combat to reach its new target location.

"Launch Shkval 2 batteries Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot once you have a targetting solution for the nearest 6 super-capital ships in the area."

"Affirmative, solutions confirmed, firing batteries in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."

The sides of the Ragnarok errupted as the super-cav torpedoes left their tubes and homed in on the nearest enemy vessels. 3 torpedoes rocketed toward each.

---

Dagger-5 enterred the building and made a direct path for Dagger-4's room to procure the weapons, he killed every enemy who came between him and his objective.

John kept firing at every enemy around him, sticking with Mick and Saya, and covered Mick, and he hit the beach running.

Ed enetered the living quarters a second behind Dag-5. He made a beline for his room, killing all who got in his way. he slid through the doorway a split second before a shot would have hit him, then leaned out and fired two rounds. After he confimred that his target was dead, he went through his gear. He took a replacement knife, five more clips and several grenades. Loud noises emminated from the entrance to the living quarters, the marines had found the building and were busy trying to take it. Putting all of his supplies in place, he headed to the nearest building, the breakroom.

Out at sea...
The combined fleets were tearing into the AN fleet, the Union battleship commanders were using increasingly bold moves to "psyche" the enemy out, pulling up along side and giving them full broadsides with the heavy-bore guns.

John went into another room with Mick, and he fired at some enemies attempting to shoot him, but he shot them down, and he continued down with Mick.

The breakroom was a mess, appearently the AN troops had a part after they seized the island from its small marine garrison. Ed checked under the bar, and sure enough, a double barrled shotgun sta in its rack udner the bar. he pciked up a bottle of brandy, took a quick swig, then stuffed the bar towel into it. molotovs might come in handy....

John fired at more enemies, and met Ed in the breakroom and said "How many more baddie's, will we have to fight!" He mopped his head.

"If the whole AN fleet is here, probably alot." He went over and pushed the heavy couch up against the door. 'This may not stop them for long, but at least it'll give us a breather."

John sighed and said "Who's funding us then? I mean, aren't we an independant orginazation now?"

Dagger-5 grabbed the equipment for the AS-57, as well as 2 AT-4CS weapons. He ran for the roof, slowed down slightly by the gear. He arrived at the roof and barred the door so he could not be pursued. He scanned the area before him. Infantry battled it out in fierce gun fights everywhere, occasionally interupted by the attacks of the armored vehicles. A lone SH-60R circled the area, someone aboard the craft was unloading with the minigun, supporting the defenders. He wondered who the crew of that bird was, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the word 'Savior' on it as it passed his position. Far in the distance ships battled it out in a cut-throat duel to the death. One of the Ragnarok class vessels emerged from the depths and quickly dispatched the DIF's rear guard with VLS launched ASMs. The sky blazed with fire, and Shenyangi fighters expertly evaded enemy fire to deliver munitions both onto land based targets and the ships. He set down the extra gear and shouldered one of the rockets.

Staring through its sights he set up a shot to take out a vehicle that threatened the rest of the QCS. He depressed the launch button and the weapon cut a deadly smoke trail down to the vehicle. Its roof was completely destroyed, and it ceased to threaten his remaining friends.

The SH-60R swept by again, and for an instant Dagger-5 thought he recognized the gunner, then realized it couldn't be who he thought it was and readied the massive AS-57. Once it was ready he went prone and swept for any targets of opertunity.

---

"Two more orbits and we have to drop you and RTC sir."

"Give me those orbits."

"Affirmative."

The man at the gun swept an enemy position with 7.62 rounds, tearing those who had been there to shreds.

"The Union is whos funding us. You all rested up?" He kicked the couch away from the door, a helicopter buzzed over head, followed by the sound of a mini-gun. don't recognise the engine noise for that chopper...

John nodded and gripped his M1A, and he leaned cautiously around the corner, saw an enemy coming towards them, and he fired twice, killing the man, and he and Ed moved out.

The man at the minigun stepped back and strapped himself down to the floor and shouldered his personal weapon. He aimed down into the fighting with a 10x scope and began firing.

"The minigun's dry, give me those orbits and leave me on the roof of the main building."

"Affirmative sir."

The weapon's crack was a very distinct sound, immediately recognizable as some type of HK weapon in 7.62 NATO, the gold standard in modern sniping ammo.

---

"No one engage that chopper, its an SN special operations bird, its here in support."

Dagger-5 fired and watched as the 57 caliber round physically punched a hole in the action of one AFV's main gun. He swung to find another threat to the squad.

---

Kamarov examined the screen and formulated his next move.

"Retarget main guns on this vessel."

He sent the video link to the gunnery officer.

"I believe it is the AN command ship. Engage at will."

The turrets of the Ragnarok turned and pounded the unfortunate target with 20in shells.

John saw another AN soldier, and fired at him with the M1A, and the man was killed, and John moved on, shot and killed another AN soldier.

The AN liberty was stuck by several 20in shells. they detonated and tore a hole in the first layer of the hull, the second and third layer help fast. "Reutrn fire!" Shouted the captain.

Back on stryker island...

Ed headed out of the breakroom and started towards the QCS command center. He looked up and saw the gunner on the chopper switch to a sniper rifle. He could've swron his face looked familar, but something inside him told him no, and he conitnued onto the command center.

John continued onto the QCS command center with Ed, keeping awareness high, and shooting at any enemies that crossed his path.

Ed continued to the door, the normaly reinforced steel door was blasted open. he carefully wlaked inside, the secondary entrance was barricaded shut, everything in the room had been pressed against it, as if to keep something in...

OOC; gotta go for a bit.

OOC: Okay, I'll hold off then in entering the command center....

The crew of the Ragnarok reacted quickly, sealing the targetted areas and partially submerging. The crew braced and the several shells impacted, reactive armor detonated and the depleted uridium / composite armor held on the effected areas, one of the benefits of the vessel costing more than 850 billion dollars was the the fact that it was outfitted with enough armor to survive a near miss from a nuclear weapon. The vessel emerged once more and the panels re-opened.

"Black Group. Burn the offending vessel from existence. All vessels open fire."

The Ragnarok unleashed another full barrage, as did the Thanatos, their GPS guided shells homing on the damaged portions of the vessel.

The entire surface fleet released a massive conflagration of fire toward the offending vessel. The NIKE class vessels, which had repostioned away from the fighting unleased a dozen ASMs.

Meanwhile the biggest threat came from below. Every submarine in Black Group, fired Shkval 2 Super-cav torpedoes toward the target. Enough firepower was being concentrated on this single vessel to reduce a small armada to ashes.

The AN Liberty barely pulled through. One of the benefits of it being a commandered Union Super Battleship was that it could survive a pounding and still come through on top. "Alert the destoryer fleet, find those subs and sink them! As for that submergable battleship, find its frequencies and get me in touch with its commander!"

OOC: You can enter the command center now.

John broke into the command center, nobody was around, but he kept a wary awareness on the room, who knows what could happen. He gripped his M1A SOCOM and wondered what had happened to Saya.

John ran to help him, and they succesfully moved the barricade out of the way.

Ed walked up to the barricade and set his assault rifle down, and started moving the barricade. "Help me out." He grunted.

John picked up his M1A and clicked on his flashlight on the M1A pitcanny rail, and said "Let's shed some light on the subject, eh?" He pointed it down the hall and said "This is creepy Ed, I wonder what happened to everybody...."

The barricade finaly shfted to the side, leaving the door exposed. Ed cautiously opened the door, checking for anything. The hallway beyond was completly dark, and Ed thought he heard the echo of gunfire in the distance....

They contineud down the hallway and opened the door to the entrance plaza. Inside it was pitch black, the only light came form sunlight streaming in through the borken windows. Ed pointed to several doors. "Letting you decide, we can either go to the labs, armory, or Marine barracks."

Mick spoke up, "Armory. We want those vehicles dead, we need toys to do it."

All the while the DPN vessel pounded all Dominion Intelligence vessels into oblivion, ignoring any fire taken from any other. Traitors were never tolerated in the Dominion.

John grinned at Mick and said "Atta boy, we've got to have cool toy's to destroy those vehicle's, let's storm the Armory!" He ran down to the Armory door, and kicked it down with force, and motioned for Mick and Ed to see what he saw, he hoarsely said "Half of the weapon's are either, unoperational, or stolen......"

"Not pretty," Mick shook his head, "Anything good in the labs?"

"Damn...." And then he noticed the bodies, one half eaten corpse and several bullet riddle bodies. "Not good..."

John said "There's afflicted around here, ah!" A zombie roared, and charged through the door, only to be shot in the skull by John with his M1A, and said "I wonder....."

OOC: That's 30 20in shells, 80 5in shells, 12 Harpoon ASMs, and 244 super-cav torpedoes. I don't think any vessel in the universe could survive that mcuh. But, hey, that's just me.

IC:

"Sir, we're being hailed by the enemy, all weapons are ready."

"Fire on the destroyers, full barrage, we must protect the other vessels."

The Ragnarok once more loosed its full might on the enemy, every type of weapon aboard was targetted on the destroys which hunted his subs.

"Attention AN command vessel, this is Admiral Kamarov, would you perfer your vessel sunk, vaporized, or brought back to Shenyang for recycling into coffee mugs?"

He was dead serious, Shenyang did make metal coffee mugs.

"The smae to you Admiral. And besides, our ship can keep up with a beating, can yours?" The AN liberty dropped a torpedo. "Have fun in the after life." The tactial nuclear torpedo homed on its target, set and ready to detonate. Appearently, the captain had lost his mind.

John said "Well, on our second mission, we were given order's to take a sample, and a head, I now know where they kept them, here!"

Ed continued through the door, the once sealed lab door had been forced open. "Don't tell me they kept samples here..."

Ed looked at him. "Then how did they get the samples on the..." He was interupted by the roaring of a chrome dome, it reered itself out of the ruined lab door, preparing to stirke.

John fired 5 time's at the chrome dome's head, and neck, and killed it and said "I dunno, I guess they had them here for a reason....."

"Sir, fish in the water, time to impact, 10 seconds."

"Full counter-torpedo barrage, Now! Fire the subsonics, and launch the acoustic decoys. SNS Andrew Jackson, scramble its guidance."

"Affirmative sir."

The torpedo kept going straight for the Ragnarok, then it hit the edge of the defense net, the first wall as a screen of Barracuda super-cav torpedoes, beyond that was the fire of the UCIWS system, and lastly the subsonic implosion device, which literally crushed inbound weapons with pressure waves. The torpedo didn't make it past the barracudas. A barracuda caught it just aft of the warhead, obliterating it safely, except for the release of the radioactive core, which would need to be cleaned up.

"You've made your decision sir, prepare to meet its consequenses."

Kamarov's voice was complete ice.

"I will thank you to leave this plane of existence. All crewmen who do not wish to be obliterated, abandon that vessel now."

The Ragnarok and Thanatos unloaded again, shooting for the gaping holes in the vessel's turrets, intent on detonating the magazines. The guided shells homed in with frightening precision.

The AN Liberty rumbled. The hull status showed multiple hull breaches, the watertight compartments wereslwoly filling up. Admiral Whetheryby came over the radio. "Admiral Kamarov, let me deal with this traitor." The UNS Ressurection fired a full barage and continued closer, its damaged engines pushing it as hard as it could. Both ships were now along side the other and exchanged devestating broadsides, punching holes in both hulls, no ammount of armor could protect any ship from that kind of pounding. Admiral Whetherby came over the radio again. "I thank all of you for keeping this sinking vessle afloat, but our final fate is sealed, all hands that want to abandone ship, do so now." No one left their stations. One sailor stood up and shouted. "We'll ride with you to hell and back sir!" Admiral Whetherby smiled, the perfect way to die on the sea, with the full backing of the crew.

Ed continued with John and Mick into the lab, cryo tubes filled with afflicted lined the room, several were broken, bullet holes ringed the borken tanks. "This is bad... what if their are more?"

"Let's shoot 'em all in the head, and that'll teach 'em" John suggested.

Gunshots sounded closer. "That sounded like it came from the Baracks, come on!" Ed dashed towards the door to the barracks, noticing that it was slightly ajar.

Mick followed in behind him, shooting any afflicted that happened across his path. He was down the his DSP at this point, "I hope we don't find any more chrome domes, my gun won't penetrate."

Meanwhile the DPN had eradicated all Intelligence vessels and refocused its unrelenting barrage on the remaining AN vessels. Judging from the radio transmission, the commander was certifiably nuts.
"All ships, report!" Sanders barked.
"Sir, minimal fire directed our way. All Dominion Intelligence vessels are at the very least disabled. Fire has been refocused on remaining AN support vessels as per the United fleet's request that the flagship be left to him."
"Very good, Luetenant, keep me apprised."

John ran after Ed, gun ready, to investigate what was going on in the barracks.

Kamarov stood from his seat.

"Admiral Weatherby, I salute you." He looked at the bridge crew, they too were saluting.

"All ships, let us not have those aboard the Ressurection die in vain. Purge the AN and DIF fleets from the face of the earth."

"Sir, should we remain engaged, we've been damaged."

"Only the reactive is damaged lieutenant, we will continue the operation as planned."

Black group continued to engage, supporting itself, protecting each other unit, ensuring that none were lost to these traitors.

The destroyers that were hunting Black Group's subs were headed for a trap, and they had no way to know it, still the surface vessels pounded the enemy with weapons and the aircraft made their attack runs through the enemy fire.

---

Dagger-5 was zoned into what he saw through his scope, enemy forces engaged with the undead. He couldn't decide which to fire on.

"Do not tell me that they're here too."

He finally decided that he would let it play out.

The squad continued down the barracks, barracades of tipped beds blocked their way, and they had to step over them. Muzzle flashes came from the bathroom, and Ed hoped it wasn't AN troops.

On board the ressurection, not much was left of the crew. The survivng crew was busy pumping everything they had into the Liberty, both ships were starting to list in the opposite direction of one another. Admiral Whetherby himself had not ramined unsathed, a flying piece of shrapnel had made a small gash on his fore head, his bridge crew ramined where they were, directing the men or taking over the machine guns that were unoccupied. One final barage from the AN liberty and her guns fell silent. He observed the Captain of the liberty walking the decks, stepping over the bodies of the dead crewmen. He did one final act of defince, he lifted his middle finger towards the bridge. Admiral Whetherby ordered a full barage. The once silent guns of the Liberty roared to life along with the guns of the Ressurection, both blasted eahc other with a finel burst. The magazines on board the Liberty detonated, tearing the ship in two. The guns from the Liberty ripped into the Ressurection, not hitting any vital areas, just ppunching a hole in the hull, speeding its slow sinking. Admiral Whetherby felt a sharp pain and looked down, a piece of shrapnel had torn though his lower abdomen. He stumbled out of the pilots house, the reaminder of the crew jumped overboard, with the Liberty sunk, they need not stay on board. The sailors that saw Admiral Whetherby stumble out of the bridge turned and saluted him. One sailor came up to him and helped him into the last remaing life boat, and then launched it.

John said "I'd doubt it's AN troop's, although I ain't sure, let's throw a grenade in, and bust da joint!"

He held up his hand. "Simple way to check. Flash!" He shouted. "Thunder thunder thunder! Came the frantic reply. 'Friendlys." he said,

John said "Okay, now we know, let's assist them!" He burst through the door, and fired at the afflicted attacking the friendly troop's, bursting several zombie skull's.

Dagger-5 was so absorbed by the battle below that he wasn't firing. He was in complete tunnel vision.

'CRACK! CRACK!'

The report of the sniper rifle startled D5, he hadn't fired, and the shots had been fired from right above him. The casings spiralled off the side of the building, thrown by the force of the shooter's weapon's ejection system. Down below two Afflicted dropped, their heads conveniently missing from the Dectoral ammunition. D5 looked up, standing over him was someone that couldn't be there, but was. He was stunned into silence.

"Attention all QCS members, GUESS WHO'S BAA-AACK!!!"

Dagger-4 was standing with his MSG-90 in full SAS combat gear. (with QCS logos added to prevent being miustaken for an enemy) He aimed again, firing off a string of shots, one punched through the glass window of a room where he saw multiple Afflicted flanking John. They dropped in pools of blood. He looked at Dagger-5, and the expended AT-4 tubes on the roof.

"Well, you've been busy, I'll take it from here."

"You... You're dead."

"Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

The two soldier quickly embraced then broke and once more they had their usual confident looks.

"You do your thing 5, I'll do mine."

"Damn right buddy."

Dagger-5 headed down the stairs to find the general as Dagger-4 took up the AS-57 and began shooting into anything that wasn't supposed to be on HIS island. He reached his combat trance state, and began killing, and making statements that seemed out of place on the battlefield, over the QCS frequency.

'BOOM!!!' "In the name of the Father,"

'BOOM!!!' "the Son,"

'BOOM!!!' "And the holy spirit,

'BOOM!!!' "I condemn you all to Hell!"

Massive .57 caliber casing were thrown off the roof, landing several metres from the side of the building he was shooting from. Chunks of pavement exploded into deadly shrapnel as the Depleted Uridium penetrators he was using punched through their targets and continued on their merry way.

---

Dagger-5 was moving toward the last known location of the general, the room where he'd had his heart attack, he hoped that he was still alive, even if he still didn't trust the man entirely.

He swung around a corner and unloaded a sutained burst into the AN guards outside the room, then ran up and prepared to fight his way through those inside. He drew his pistols and opened the door.

The last zombie fell, and the marines stood up. "Man, am I glad to see you!" Said Frank. "Those AN guys said you were dead!"

John smiled and said "I knew you'd survive somehow, still, I felt kinda bad leaving you there Dag4."

Several heavily armed and armoured gaurds saw D5 enter. The general was not in the room. They opened fire with the high-powered machine guns that were strapped to them, and continued to fire until D5 took cover.

"I stayed to make sure that little slice of hell made it all the way to the bottom. It was my choice. You nothing to feel bad about."

More rounds rocketed toward AN positions all over the island. If the enemy had had a skilled sniper that wasn't already dead, they could heve countered Dagger-4, maybe.

"Whenever sang my songs, on the stage, on my own..."

He fired on, quietly singing the song. A tear fell from his closed, non-dominant eye, but otherwise he was the picture of urban sniper perfection.

John opened fire on any AN guard's he could see and yelled "I'll never, ever, surrender to you!, I'll die fighting with the QCS!"

"Glad to have you back, at least I didn't have to condem another man to die..."

"Alright bastards, you wanna play rough?"

He primed a high explosive grenade,waited for it to burn down for 4 seconds of its 5 sencond fuse threw it over the heavy table he was using for cover, hoping it would hold. As soon as it went off he spun up with the Tavor 2 in 1 hand and the MP-7A1 in the other. He fired them in a murderous sweep across the room, tearing through everything that was still standing, he then swept the floors with such a burst, to ensure everything inside was dead but him. The smoke slowly cleared as he returned to his cover. He heard the moans of one surviving enemy.

He left the cover and put the MP7A1 to the armored and dying man's head.

"Tell me where the general is or I'll splatter your brains over the floor below us."

With his other Tavor he shot the man's weapon multiple times. for security.

The QCS squad continued farther, they encountered D5 taking cover behind the door frame to General Lawrences room, and hoped what ever was on the other side wasn't big and bad. Ed leaned around the corner and was immidiatly met with HMG fire, he ducked back as fast as he could. 'Whos got grenades?' He asked.

"Just help me get the information out of this SOB and we'll be on our merry way. WHERE IS THE GENERAL! I have all day, You DON'T"

John leaned in and threw a grenade in the room, and another one for safe measure, and then leaned back out of the way of the HMG.

"Thank you, if a medic could patch this guy up as best they can, I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

D5 headed for the central command center, his XD's up ahead of him.

The AN soldier D5 had captured jerked his head in the direction of the central command center before expiring. Ed stood up. "Looks like we;ve got a bit of it ahead of ourselves. Frank stay here with the marines, we might need them later."

John followed Ed towards the central command center and said "Isn't General Lawerence dead?"

"He had a heart attack, belive it or not, most people live through them."

John said "Ah, let's go! The central command center door is open I think!"

Ed held up his hand. "Someones speaking..." From the toher side of the door they heard voices. "..And belive it or not, thats how I survived! So tell me William, does your final fate suit you?"

John said "Ed, you look first, I'll follow!" He motioned for Ed to lead the way.

Dagger-5 contacted Dagger-4 over the open comm.

"You're singing again man."

"Wha - What? Oh, okay."

Dagger-4 switched his radio to PTT mode and continued singing.

"...you are no dreamer..."

All over the base AN troops fell, missing some vital chunk of their body.

---

Dagger-5 fired multiple rounds into everything that came between him and the Central Command Center, he wasn't sure if the rest of the QCS was with him or not, but frankly, he didn't care. He was going to get to the bottom of this. He loaded a pair of 25 round extended mags, which were custom fabricated for him, into the wells of the weapons. Each contained the Dectoral HEX-45A Experimental High Explosive .45 ACP round. This would deal with anyone and anything he encountered.

---

Dagger-4 was out of targets, he'd killed every visible target, if anyone or anything was alive out there, it was very well hidden. He hooked up a rappelling line to the wall and decsended down to the floor where D5 was, blew a window and swung inside with his XD at the ready, his used the same ammo, but in the standard 13 round magazine.

He ran down a hall and joined up with Dagger-5 ahead of the others.

ed entered the command room, a lone man and the General were in it. "Hold your fire." He said. "I want to have a nice long chat with you...."

The Daggers entered and almost shot the man who wanted to 'chat.' Between them they could reduce this man to a pile of bloody tissue in about 2 seconds, but they fought the impulse, in order to find out what was going on.

John put up his M1A at the general and the lone man and said "Hands up, I wish you two, to tell me what your evil plot is."

Mick heard the order. All the same, his DSP was aimed square at the head of the unknown individual.
"And pal, you better have answers. This place has gone to hell in a handbasket, my country seemed to have disowned me, the undead are loose in my house, and I have one intruder in my sights. You better sing like a f****** canary!"
Mick then had a better idea. He holstered his pistol and pulled his rifle. Though his hand wasn't on the trigger of the gun, but the front mounted grenade launcher.
"Won't explode, but it'll sure as hell put a huge hole in you."

"Evil plot? Why, if it is so, you've helped out all along!" He pointed to the general. 'Even he did, assembling such a fine group of experts..... to bad he'll be the product of all of this!"

John said "What are you going to do to the general, if it's turning him into a zombie, then I'll have to kill you and him too."

Mick's gun briefly shook, unsure of who to plug with the 40mm phosphorus grenade. The general apparently wasn't himself, but this guy was no Boy Scout either.
"Helped all along? What do you mean? I know we got the samples, but..."

"Quit the double talk or I'll blow your head off. Do you have any idea how much damage a single on of these HE rounds will do? Want a demonstration perhaps?"

Dagger-5 almost did shoot the man.

Mick had heard enough. His rifle dropped to his hip being supported by its sling and he leveled his pistol square between the man's eyes. The grenade was somewhere between Ed and the general.
"Keep talking, you psychopath. 'Final stage of evolution'? What next, the cheesy 'time to die Mr. Bond' line? We want answers. I'm with Dag, more double talk and you're history."

"Oh, not a zombie, something...diffrent. The final stage of human evolution, to be exact. You see, this whole opperation, the QCS, everything has been like this to bring it about. In fact, one of your squad mates is a product of this "ultimate humanity", just look at who leads you."

Dagger-4 twitched at this statement. He felt like an older brother to Saya, and this was beginning to really make him angry.

"The general's heart attack was staged so we could test the succesful strain of the "ultimate humanity" On the general, it was quite well working, in fact the other red eyes, she was a product of its earliest stages."

Mick was taken aback, rage now filled his voice, "How DARE you use her, all of them! As what? Guinea pigs? Give one good reason not to end you right here right now."
His finger tightened on the grenade launcher.

OOC: Above post is response to Saya comment, don't know why my posts are going first.

Mick was shocked, "John? You can't be serious. All this and you just want to know if you can go home? What about Saya? Ed? the chief? We're owed answers!"

John asked "Are you going to release us sir, you might as well, seeing as how you accomplished your goals with the QCS..."

"Give me one good reason why we shouldn't just kill this bastard right now."

Dagger-4's weapon was trained on the man's heart. Dagger-5 had his rifle aimed into the man's stomach, which would lead to a slow, painful death.

OOC: Above in response to John, having same problem...

"Ah, hell no. Get this shit out of me, or I'll show you the meaning of god dammed perfection, as in the perfect way to kill you!"

Why no, I need you to mop up the little results of this experiment... and besides, all of you have some strain of it in you, your all incubators for it, soon, it will affect your genetic code, then your physical structure... making you the perfect beings."

"And besides, if you do shot me, I'll just come right back.... I;ve died before, I can die again."

The color faded from Mick's face, his pistol clattered to the floor. The grenade launcher stayed trained on the man only through the sling.
"You mean...we're..." Mick's anger at everything that happened, the deception, the deaths, and now this...He raised the rifle sqaure at the man. There was no question this time, the man would have his head replaced by a 40mm round.

John said to Mick "I am sorry, I'll help, it's just, just, that I'd really love to finish this quickly." He turned to the general "How are we going to "mop" up this mess anyway?"

"Mick! Down! NOW!"

Dagger-4 wrenched Mick's finger off the trigger, he knew that it was about to fire.

"Trust me, we'll deal with this bastard, and this damned stuff as soon as he learns the meaning of shut up."

The General lay motionless. "Oh he can't hear you.." Said the stranger. "Its already affected his genetic code, only a matter of time before it begins.... and now for Ed, you and your kind will be the end of this lower form of humanity, now do what you were created to do, and destroy those in your way!" Ed twitched and fell over, he slowly pulled himself pack up and looked a the stranger with a hate fueled gaze. "Not...ever....again...."

Mick looked at John, "Understood, the sooner the better."
Now back to the man, "Before your head becomes the new wall decor, what's your name? So I know who to put in my report as the most psychotic, homicidal man in the history ofthe known world."

John said "Heck, this is all a dream to me, because, you might not have noticed, but I'm more powerful then you ever dreamed!" He threw off his shirt and pant's, to reveal his powerful cybernetic armor, and he pulled out his Calizorinstan Arms Khaybar, which was specially modified. He growled at the General.

The Daggers glanced at each other, this was bad, genetically engineered super-soldiers are what they were dedicated to eradicating, and now they were to become them. If they couldn't stop the change, they knew what to do.

"I can't believe this! You act as if you hold all the cards! You offer me what, that? The only way I'd consider your offer is if you reversed the process. Even then..."
No one heard him mumble his next words, "...that others may live..."
He pulled the trigger.

"Tut tut," Said the Stranger. "You really shouldn't do that. And besides..... thats a danger to others." A blade erupted from his arm. "Do you see this! I have absolute control over my corporeal body! I can bend it any way I want! The ultimate humanity will not die, it will live on.... Besides... I can offer the same to you."

"We don't want ultimate humanity, we want to keep our humanity." The Daggers ensured their weapons were indeed ready to go, and took the triggers almost to the breaking point.

"Oh, and the names Frank Dawson. I was killed by William on a mission 28 years ago.... perhaps I should tell you the tale?"

John slowly unveiled his prototype sword, a lightsword, very similar to a lightsaber, except it has a hand guard, and said "I am Lord Nordanart!, I am, the final evolution!, and I will defend this squad from your malice, John Macked was my cover name for 27 year's." He circled the General then returned to the Group.

Mick lowered his rifle, "Frank? As in the pilot? What the hell happened to you?"
Mick was slowly becoming delerious. No doubt the 'treatment' was taking effect...

Dagger-4 waited until John, or Nordanart as it appeared, was back with the group. He staired into this 'man's' soulless eyes and left the trigger of his weapon give once, twice, he emptied the magazine in uder a second, then almost instantly reloaded.

He looked at his target, several gapin holes were closing in his form.

Frank Dawson Laughed. "Foolish boy, that won't stop me." He dissapeared and reapeared behing John. "I am faster than you." And drew his arm blade and stabbed him through the stomahc. "Any more challengers?"

"No not the pilot, that would be Frank Lawrence, Williams unfortunate borther."

Seeing the sword in John enraged Mick even further, "YOU! SON OF A-"
He fired the grenade square at Frank's head.

OOC: Going off the assumption it'll be allowed seeing as we're all infected and theoretically won't die anyway.

"That was unfortunate, I had such high hopes for the dagger team when the Ultimate humanity reached maturity.... oh well." Hs arm blad slid out of his arm again. "Do you want to die quickly or slowly?"

Mick slowly placed the rifle on the ground, "Alright, the offer's on the table again. And after due consideration I must inform you that..."
His hand crept slowly toward his DSP until he scooped it up and in a split second got out of his crouch and unloaded a magazine into Frank, "I REFUSE!"

Frank dodged the granade expertly. "Not going to work." And smacked Mick halfway across the room. "I'm going to offer you independent control of your Ultimate Humanity once more, and then I shall not offer it again."

OOC: previous one my latest, still having that problem...

Dagger-4 dropped to the floor, and got up quickly, his system had been over-written, and he intended to use it.

"I don't know, how would would perfer to die Frank? Painfully or Agonizingly?"

Dagger-4 stepped forward, looking normal, until he forced a series of blades to spawn from his own arms.

Once Mick unloaded all of his remaining ammo, he pulled his combat knife and charged toward Frank, the fact that Dagger 4 had just sprouted blades not phasing him. He was moving noticably faster, his legs pumping harder yet he was not tiring. Not in the least.

"Refuse, hm? Then, I shall exterminateyou with extreme prejudice." Ed lay on the ground, he could feel something inside him..growing....

Dagger-4 stepped forward.

"What? You're just going to ignore the only one here who can take you? Hmm?"

The blades lengthened to be approximately 3 feet long, and curved back toward his shoulders. Not a long distance combat arrangement, to be sure.

"Ed, I don't want to kill you, but if I have to, I will."

Dagger-4 enterred his combat trance. Everything he needed to know was arrayed around him within his mind, he could do this.

"Hm, somebody excepts their mutations....." Ed picked himself up off the floor. "Leave him to me, want to see what this whole fuss about ultimate humanity is about."

As Mick charged a thought crossed his mind. He was going to make sure that hiring the absolute best would be the last regret this guy ever had.
He jumped, clearing the remaining distance. The adrenaline obviously speeding up his 'enhancements'. He thrust the knife forward, right toward Frank's nonexistant heart.

OOC: My last post should be here. wierd...

"Good. I'll cover you."

"no, not you Dag, him." He pointed to Frank. "Just watch, I think I can get the hang of it."


OOC: Might be my last post for today, dunno yet...

Ed leapt at Frank and sliced off his head. It disolved into fluid, the regenerated on top of his head. "That can't stop me!" he laughed.

Mick plunged his knife deep into Frank's chest, twisting it a full 360* before extracting it.
"You'll regret hiring the world's best you slimy little-"

Ed continued to slice Frank to bits, every bit of damage he did to him seemed to regenerate. "Oh, stop, it hurts so much." Laughed Frank. "Do you really think you can stop me!"

Mick took a step back, aghast at what had happned.
"And he still comes back? What ARE you? You're no human, that's for sure!"
Mick came to a realization.
"Conventional weapons can't kill him, but if I was far enough back...That's it!"
He ran back to his rifle, opened the grenade launcher, unloaded the casing, and shoved a new phosphorus grenade in the breach.
"Ed! Get far away from him!"

"not human." Said Frank. "The final stage in human evolution!" And swept them both aside with his hand. "The AN is entirely under my influence, the leaders are infected with a weaker strain of it, rendering themunder my control. Their soliders fight and die for this, and soon, i will introduce this onto the world!"

Mick had waited long enough, after getting back far enough to allow the grenade's proximity fuse to detonate, he yelled, "Not in my country! The hell you will!"
He pulled the trigger. The grenade impacted at Frank's feet and erupted in a hail of fire and the smell of sulfur permeated the air as Frank (or at the bare minimum his clothes) erupted in flames.

Fire thats it! Ed took the molotv he had made and pulled out his lighter, he threw it at Franl and he laughed as it soaked into his clothes. "Didn't you know, I will keep coming back!"

OOC: Glad somebody found out that fire thing, thought I was going to have to tell you guys....

"So, you think that because of your modified DNA you can't be defeated, is that it?"

Dagger-4 stepped forward. He had a very risky idea.

"Everyone, get out of this room now."

He kept walking right up to Frank. He was humming once more.

He stared into the creatures eyes, knowing that at the same time, his soul was being consumed. He stepped right up to him.

"If I can manipluate the matter in my body like you, then..."

He instantly changed his composition into radioactive Tritium, releasing a deadly neutron burst. He knew that nuetron weapons turned flech into something like clay, and he knew clay didn't have DNA.

Frank screamed, he could feel his flesh boiling away. He thrashed about, the fire blinding him, intent on taking anyone and everyone with him. He feel to the floor, his legs entirely melted, he crawled towards the sounds of the QCS his arm blades rapidly extending. He continued to crawl, his flesh dropping off and melting, before he grasped Eds leg. He reached up with his arm blades, but not before the muscles in his arm incinerated.He feel and stopped moving, the flames consuming him. "Phosphorus burns for a very long time." Said Ed. "There will be nothing left." Frank burnt into ashes over a period of time. soon thse ashes melted and left nothing. General lawrence woke up from where he lay and looked around. "Whats everyone standing their for? Do something!"

Mick rushed over and helped the general to his feet.
"Sir, it's OK. It's all over now," relief swept across Mick's face, "We've won."

Well, not truly. The ruling members of the AN are infected with it.... as well as myself and the rest fo the squad, I'm sure with the death of Frank they've lost being lsaves to him, but they're still carriers...... what I'm saying is even with Franks plan gone, the carriers could still the virus throuhg reporduction, even then it would take hundreds of generations before they whiped out humanity."

Mick sighed, "True, but I can tell you firsthand that with all of the money the Dominion pours into government waste, there's bound to be a cure eventually. For now at least a suppressant. The President couldn't have been infected, his ships helped bail us out. I think the virus meant for my leader went to someone else in the Government Complex..."

Dagger-4 returned to normal and retrieved his weapons. He looked at his state and felt his spirits drop. He didn't want to be this way.

Mick looked over at Dagger 4, "Hey, never fear. If any nation can find a cure, it's mine. I'm sure your equivilant to our Intelligence Ministry can attest to that. We've got some of the world's top physicians, geneticists, and eggheads at our disposal. I just hope the virus isn't too widespread."

"With any luck, there'll still be people like us out there putting it all on the line to make sure wackjobs like him," he gestured at the scorch mark on the floor, "don't bring it prematurly in the meantime."

"Oh, is that why the inteligence ships attacked us?" Said Ed. 'And besides, hundreds of generations from now, thheir might be an actual evolution, who nows if it was planned. One thing I can say is, wars will be a lot tougher."

Ed sighed. "We probably could get some help from the Union. Union medical science is far more advanced then most, if not all, in the world. They might have something for it." Ed looked at his arms. "I'm starting to think I kinda like being like this though..."

He still felt as though he'd failed. He refused to allow himself to go home to his family until he was cured of this.

"Well dag4, you've got two choices. Either swallow and incindeary device or get the cure. Yous hould probably report to Amnesty medical clinic in Arkheim, the Union capitol city." Said Ed. "They've got some of the best docotrs, or so I've heard..."

OOC: Post is like three up...
IC:
The sound of rotor blades beating the air was heard just above the command building. Mick helped the general to the roof in time to see a dark blue CH-53 emblazoned with a Gold Eagle touch down and the back ramp drop. Ten men in fully enclosed dark blue body armor bearing only a badge over their hearts marched out. They had assault rifles slung over their shoulders, and dart rifles at the ready. A lone individual stepped out after them, dressed identically except for a gold chain wrapped around his right shoulder.
As the ten officers were arrayed behind him, he stepped forward,
"I am a High Justiciar of the Dominion Civil Authority. All members of the Quarantine and Containment Squad still alive are now requested and required as per Dominion juris-prudence to come with us."

Ed looked at Mick. "Friends of yours?" He asked.

"That remains to be seen, but I do know them. If you're so high on the law, then as a Dominion citizen I have a right to know what we're being charged with before extradition."

The Justiciar was slightly taken aback, "Charges? You weren't informed? We're not here to arrest you, the President has a job for you. In the meantime reports are still sketchy, but we heard you may be infected. Here," he produced a syringe filled with a blue liquid, "a suppressant for the virus. It won't cure you, but it will negate the effect temporarily."

"Wait," Mick replied, "How would you get a sample? I never sent-"

"Our former Intelligence Minister was happy to oblige us. Things back home are...out of hand. We need to get you all back to the Government Complex before it is breached."

OOC: Last post for the night, I'll start the thread tomorrow afternoon.

Dagger-4 immediately considered his options, he could easilly run, after all, he couldn't die, but he decided to go peacefully.

Ed refused the vial as it was pased aroung. 8The syringes were swapped out after each use) "I want to see how well i can control this, but I'd be happy to oblige anything that involves killing more of those things."

OOC: looks like a lot of the original squad got left out, wonder how they'll react, eh?

Dagger-4 also refused, not to see the extent of hs control, but because he intended to refuse anything that would give him an appearance of normalcy.

OOC: Not that I want to get my character out of being dead, it's just that I saw some oppurtiunity, to explain his strange behaviour, by having it be an imposter, since my guy never wore the suit at the start of mission 5, because it had been stolen.

IC:

What the other's didn't realize, was the man that they saw got sabered through, and whom thought was John, was in reality an imposter, so John came running to the command center, in a marine suit and with a M-4 Carbine and said "What's happening,, you may think I was dead, but I asssure you, this is the man who stole my "Halo, suit and, I assure you, the man who's dead, is in reality not me, but an imposter that stole my suit, hello General..."

"An imposter?" Said Ed. Never the less, you might want to hide it, thta imposter displayed some pretty advanced technology when using that suit, if the Union Special Inteeligence Unit gets its hands on it, chances are you'll never see it again."

John nodded and said "He's a Baa'thist, a Nazi from my country, he's the second in command of the rebel's, he was trying I guess to sabotage our effort's. Anyhoo, what's been going on, since I was stuck back in the breakroom?"

Ed looked at John. "You know, super soldiers, zombies, guns, explosions, the usual shindig."

John said "Yeah, that's sound's about usual, oh Dag4, I was stuck in the breakroom, how's the squad doing so far?"

Mick happily lined up a vein and jammed the syringe in. He immediately felt a sense of weakness wash over him as his bodily functions stopped mutating and even partially reverted to a previous state.
"Not too bad, as it turns out my Intelligence Minister was a pawn of some freak who was like liquid terminator but with organic matter. Unfortunately, no word from Saya or Dmitri. I hope they arrive soon. My friends here want to sweep us all over to my countriy's Capital. Apparently, all is not well in paradise..."

"About that," the Justiciar spoke up, "Time is of the essence. The Presidential Fleet is already underway, however we'll be passing them in a straight flight there. Refueling craft has agreed to meet us halfway. I should like to wait for your friends, but I can spare no more than ten minutes' time."

John asked Mick "Can I come with you, so I can hitch a ride?"

Ed started to get curious about this whole thing. "What kinda of resistance are we expecting when we land?"

The Justiciar first addressed John, "That was what was expected. The assistance of as many of the QCS as we can find is to be enlisted and taken to the Capital."
Then to Ed, "The outbreak occurred inside the residential sector of First City, near the Government Complex. Afflicted estimates now number in the thousands.
The Govenrment Complex used to be a medieval fortress and still has many of the old walls for protection. It was the logical place to move the evacuees. However, that much living in one place was a huge homing beacon. The majority of the Afflicted have been seiging the gates for days now. The iron is starting to show fatigue.
The rest of the population was safely evacuated to underground fortifications, all of them screened for the virus. The city is effectively under full quarantine and the sewers' motion trackers report nothing down there so far. Nothing in or out.
However, what little we have at the Government Complex in terms of military is all we have available. The rest of our military is fighting back the forces under the influence of the Intelligence Minister elsewhere and the bases in First City are either overrun or abandoned and unsafe to return to. The city proper is effectively deserted and under Afflicted control. To briefly answer your question Commander, full outbreak status."

John wondered to himself if they'd survive this, and grinned "Well, at least this will be the last mission at least..."

The Justiciar checked the chronometer built into his wrist gauntlet, "We should start boarding. I give the rest of the squad five minutes. If they're not here a communique qill be sent to their governments to pick them up. We just don't have any more time."
He motioned for them to board. The Civil Authority officers stepped aboard and fastened themselves in as the rotors warmed up.

"Well," Mick said with a sigh, "Not the homecoming I expected, but I guess in a way it's better. I'm not under arrest." He smiled weakly.

OOC: And by five minutes I mean the rest of tonight. I'll start the thread itself tomorrow morning. We'll finish in this one with everyone aboard the chopper and it taking off.

OOC:Okay, I'll just write a short one up then.

IC:
John followed Mick, into the plane, and sat down, and said "I'll be glad to be out of the QCS when this is all over..."

Mick sat back, the seat feeling familiar for the first time in a long time, "Yeah, same here. I'd say it'll be good to be home, but..." he trailed off, the concern on his face all too apparent. What he'd been fearing, dreading, for his entire tour of duty wityh the QCS, had happened. At the Capital no less! War ripped across his country between not only human and zombie, but human and infected human. The Dominion was only one side in a three-sided engagement. For all he knew, the infected and the undead could have been fighting side by side...

John got the message from President Arnold that negotiations with Translyvania had been extremely successful, and woefully grinned and, then became sober and said "Think there's any chance your family isn't infected or undead?"

"Oh, they're OK. For now. Families of government officials, and agents, are housed at the Government Complex to prevent any chance of abduction. As long as the gates hold, they'll be fine."
A few Civil Authority officers gave derisive snorts.
"Oh, but of course the military would keep them at bay just as well," he laughed a little nervously.

Ed was worried. "Full outbreak status? Even with the 'ultimate humanity' those things could just ovewhelm us. Besides, if the union catches wind of this they'll test 'Arkheim' on the city...."

OOC: RS, you going to get that thread started? We're all kinda in route....

OOC: Homecoming is up.