Touched By Fire
Touched By Fire
Lok- outter rim.
I stood on top of the plataeu that overlooked our Garrison Headquaters. My carbine was slung over my shoulder, I could feel its heat still radiating through the armor plating surrounding my torso. I shielded the Lokian sunlight from my eyes to better view the Rebel base camp, not more than a click away. Brazen little bastards. All that was left of the camp was a smoking ruin, and the air was heavy with the scent of laser discharge and spent explosives. I had smelled it before. Many times before in fact, Corellia, Naboo, Talus, and now Lok. I turned my gaze to my own troops, my squad commanders gathered in front of the fire base's last surviving turret. Though geographically distant from me, I could never be closer to anyone than at this moment, with these soldiers.
Ter'rag Shugo stood confidently, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over the much more diminutive Sloda. Shugo was obviously the one speaking, as he was very animated with his hands when he did so, the other soldiers had heads tilted as they listened. I spotted a dark streak across the back of his Mandalorian Armor, armor that was worn by many of the First Ranger Detachment, indicating a particularly close shave with a blaster bolt. Terr'rag commanded the "Ghost Squad", specialists in intelligence and assasination. Sloda was one his top men, as was the trooper to his right, a female known only as Blaide, as deadly as she is beautiful. Her real name was known only to me and Ter'rag, as she had served with us in the First Special Forces Group, prior to its decimation. Mavrik also stood close by his squad commander, in matching Mandalorian Armor, save the red shoulder flash reserved for "tabbed" Rangers. Mavrik had recently joined the unit and had yet to graduate from Ranger School itself.
In the background, arms crossed, was Soyez Baton, Squad Leader of a Heavy Weapons Company known as the Black Knights. Anyone who knew Soyez would tell you the guy knew his weapons. Anyone who knew him well, found it hard to believe how much of a stone cold killer he was. He was good natured and quick with a joke, and would give you his last credit if he felt you needed it. He also proudly wore the Black Mandalorian Armor, as did the other Heavy Weapons Company Squad Leader, Shaidar Haran. People were always surprised to find out Shaidar's age, as he was much younger than the rest of the Detachment, but he often carried himself like someone many years his senior. He was so technically knowledgable that he came across as arrogant at times, but I knew better. He was an asset.
My Command Seargent Major, Lasima Eleuno, had wandered into the circle and offered Ter'rag a quick salute. Ter'rag returned it even more quickly and knelt down on one knee, continuing with his sweeping hand gestures as he spoke to his fellow Rangers. He began to draw in the hard Lokian sand with his finger, looking up occasionally to be sure he was being understood. If I had to guess, it was a quick and dirty After Action Review. Las joined the others listening intently. I had a bad habit of losing my patience with Lasima, but we didn't have a more loyal enlisted man among us. His attention to detail was annoying on the surface, but in reality, he was covering my ass.
My Rangers had fought hard today, I thought as I smiled to myself. The Rebels, feeling threatened by our presence here on Lok, attmepted a strike on our fire base and had failed miserably, due to the efforts of the aforementioned Rangers, as well some others, Mailliw, Asharin, Koovi, Gebbo, all great troopers in their own right. We had all seen battle before, and many of us had fought side by side. But this battle had seemed different, felt different. I looked down from my perch to the ground below. The last few Rebels had tried to make a stand where I was now standing. But I would have none of it, we were taking this hill. Somehow I knew, this group would not let me down, and they didn't.
When we reached the hill top, and the last Rebel had been killed, I looked at my fellow Rangers and knew we were forever bonded after that great moment, like we had never been in any battle before. All of us knew we were different now, all of us knew we had been touched with fire.
Lok- outter rim.
I stood on top of the plataeu that overlooked our Garrison Headquaters. My carbine was slung over my shoulder, I could feel its heat still radiating through the armor plating surrounding my torso. I shielded the Lokian sunlight from my eyes to better view the Rebel base camp, not more than a click away. Brazen little bastards. All that was left of the camp was a smoking ruin, and the air was heavy with the scent of laser discharge and spent explosives. I had smelled it before. Many times before in fact, Corellia, Naboo, Talus, and now Lok. I turned my gaze to my own troops, my squad commanders gathered in front of the fire base's last surviving turret. Though geographically distant from me, I could never be closer to anyone than at this moment, with these soldiers.
Ter'rag Shugo stood confidently, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over the much more diminutive Sloda. Shugo was obviously the one speaking, as he was very animated with his hands when he did so, the other soldiers had heads tilted as they listened. I spotted a dark streak across the back of his Mandalorian Armor, armor that was worn by many of the First Ranger Detachment, indicating a particularly close shave with a blaster bolt. Terr'rag commanded the "Ghost Squad", specialists in intelligence and assasination. Sloda was one his top men, as was the trooper to his right, a female known only as Blaide, as deadly as she is beautiful. Her real name was known only to me and Ter'rag, as she had served with us in the First Special Forces Group, prior to its decimation. Mavrik also stood close by his squad commander, in matching Mandalorian Armor, save the red shoulder flash reserved for "tabbed" Rangers. Mavrik had recently joined the unit and had yet to graduate from Ranger School itself.
In the background, arms crossed, was Soyez Baton, Squad Leader of a Heavy Weapons Company known as the Black Knights. Anyone who knew Soyez would tell you the guy knew his weapons. Anyone who knew him well, found it hard to believe how much of a stone cold killer he was. He was good natured and quick with a joke, and would give you his last credit if he felt you needed it. He also proudly wore the Black Mandalorian Armor, as did the other Heavy Weapons Company Squad Leader, Shaidar Haran. People were always surprised to find out Shaidar's age, as he was much younger than the rest of the Detachment, but he often carried himself like someone many years his senior. He was so technically knowledgable that he came across as arrogant at times, but I knew better. He was an asset.
My Command Seargent Major, Lasima Eleuno, had wandered into the circle and offered Ter'rag a quick salute. Ter'rag returned it even more quickly and knelt down on one knee, continuing with his sweeping hand gestures as he spoke to his fellow Rangers. He began to draw in the hard Lokian sand with his finger, looking up occasionally to be sure he was being understood. If I had to guess, it was a quick and dirty After Action Review. Las joined the others listening intently. I had a bad habit of losing my patience with Lasima, but we didn't have a more loyal enlisted man among us. His attention to detail was annoying on the surface, but in reality, he was covering my ass.
My Rangers had fought hard today, I thought as I smiled to myself. The Rebels, feeling threatened by our presence here on Lok, attmepted a strike on our fire base and had failed miserably, due to the efforts of the aforementioned Rangers, as well some others, Mailliw, Asharin, Koovi, Gebbo, all great troopers in their own right. We had all seen battle before, and many of us had fought side by side. But this battle had seemed different, felt different. I looked down from my perch to the ground below. The last few Rebels had tried to make a stand where I was now standing. But I would have none of it, we were taking this hill. Somehow I knew, this group would not let me down, and they didn't.
When we reached the hill top, and the last Rebel had been killed, I looked at my fellow Rangers and knew we were forever bonded after that great moment, like we had never been in any battle before. All of us knew we were different now, all of us knew we had been touched with fire.