[Fiction] Not Everything Goes Smoothly

[Trooper]

"Okay, listen and listen up now. This will go by the numbers and if you're good little soldiers you get to go home telling your women how manly and brave you are. If not then you all die, I still get paid and your women will cry. Are we clear?"

"YES BOSI!"

"This is a big, bad rebel base filled with big bad rebels. So we kill everyone and everything. Are we clear?"

"YES BOSI!"

"I go in, scare the living hell out of all the kibanawasi. You hear me open fire and you hit the first round of mortars. All four of you death-lobbers use the red sparkly rounds I gave you. I repeat, the red, sparkly rounds . I'll know if you don't and then we go back to the you die, I get paid and your women weep. Understand?"

"YES BOSI!"

"The kibanawasi should run and you shooters need to wipe them out as they hit the jungle. We clear? What do you do?"

"Umbua maasum!"

"Good. Same page. Kill everything running out of the camp and just keep dropping the mortars. Quck, simple and we get home tomorrow morning. Nothing easier."

[Trooper]

Blue Sheet 51-A

November 23rd-2016

Account Analyst: Analiese Perault

Client Issue: N/A

Elite Issue: William Charles Stannick, aka Trooper

Mission Issue: 52369-CAF/UGR-009

SitRep:

William Stannick (aka Trooper) was contracted to lead a small group of UGR Federals (20) to counter rebel activity in the abandoned Chinesocola Mine compound. In addition to his regular equipment signout ( 1-BFG mk V1 w/ 1500 rds-standard, 1-Kbar Knife, 1-D.E. .50cal w/6 clips) he was assigned 8 new "Ruby Booms" mortar rounds per Dr. Allinsky and something only described as a "Fuck you, Charlie" (see below).

Upon entering the Chinescola Mine compound Trooper followed defined procedure and started a standard sweep and clear of the target site. Despite the efforts of Mission Intelligence an unknown quantity intercepted Trooper (See Black Marx ).

Black Marx apparently volunteered his services to the rebel faction free of charge. This fits with his expressed viewpoints regarding overthrow of capitalist governments and the need for Novas to assist in a worker's revolution. His presence was unexpected as none of the normal signs of elite involvment were detected.

Black Marx caught Trooper by suprise with his "Red October Blast". Though Black Marx is only considered a second tier threat the Red October Blast is a raw form of hard radiation, one that few novas can withstand. Trooper was incapacitated but not killed by the blast. When Black Marx stood over Troopers body and took a moment to brag (see attached SkyHiEye Footage)Trooper was able to activate the above mentioned "Fuck You, Charlie". Apparently Dr. Allinsky equipped Trooper with an unauthorized shaped charge addition to the ammo pack for the BFG. The resulting blast killed not only Black Marx and the remaining rebels in the camp but completely devestated the compound, including those buildings designated as vital and not to be damaged.

Due to the unexpected explosion the Federal troops retreated, resulting in a delay in getting Trooper evacuated for medical treatment.

Lessons Learned:

Elites need to be better trained as to how to handle the unexpected arrival of other novas. For Devries to keep its reputation as the premier Elite Agency in field adjustments have to be made with great speed. While Mission Intelligence may have dropped the ball field personel have to keep up their end.

Also, Dr. Alinsky needs to better follow procedure when it comes to dispersing unapproved munitions.

Analiese, Trooper's going to make it. Do you really want a superhumanly strong man with a lack of appreciation for the sancity of life seeing a report where you blame him for getting his own face burned off? Re-write it and accept that M.I. fucked up. -

D.G.

[Trooper]

Pain.

Pain in very large amounts.

Normally that would be the worst of it. But Will had experienced a lot of pain in his years as an Elite. He got through it all. Some time spent in the soft comfort of the Devries hospital, recuperate and get back in the field. Just part of being an Elite.

Pain didn't mean anything.

But the looks of shock on the faces of the nurses when they changed his dressing? That meant something. Something was wrong. This time was different.

And that couldn't be good.

[Trooper]

"No, it's not going to heal."

The words stuck with him.

The mirror lay in pieces on the floor. How fucking pathetic was that? Hell, how cliche was that? But really, what was he supposed to do? Smile and say "Well doc, guess I have to learn how to talk without lips then. Glad I never learned to play the trumpet."

Fuck that.

Half of his face was gone. And would be gone forever. Some shit about radiation and nova regeneration. Did the science matter? No, hell no it didn't matter. All that mattered was it still hurt. Apparently it would always hurt. It wasn't going to get any better. Wouldn't get any worse. Oh yay, no worse. That means loads. But no better. Cracked and blasted teeth showing through a torn away cheek. One burnt and empty eye-hole staring out, unblinking, weeping a stream of god know's what.

And I already killed the sonofabitch. I can't even try to get even.

A lifetime of pain. Bearable, but always there. No hope for healing. Hands already tried, and everyone knew Hands was one of the best skin-knitters around. And some ugly ass face that looked like something out of a cheap horror flick.

First motherfucker who makes a Lon Chaney crack gets capped.

He stared out into the bright South African sun. He still had a job they said. He was still strong, smart and capable. His three-dimensional "sense" of the world around him made the missing eye meaningless. Hell, surviving that blast would only help his rep. Yeah, he still had a job. And hell, he had some anger to work out.

The half of his mouth still fully there twisted upward in a distrurbing grin, "Yeah. Good idea world. Let's piss off the mean man with a low regard for human life."