The Battle for Coridan - Fallout Rescue, Part 2

Posted on Thu Jul 10th, 2025 @ 1:53pm by Commander Saul Whitford & Staff Sergeant Jordon Basset & Colonel Josiah McEntyre & Commander Gunnar Magnusson & Lieutenant Commander Alexander Coleman & Captain Samuel Hunt & Sergeant Sonny Holt & Lance Corporal Jeremy Kerr

1,997 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Campaign for Coridan

[Coridan Surface - Dropship]

Bassettt was pouring with sweat. It was hot and close inside the remains of the dropship. Frayed nerves, bodies pressed up close against one another, and probably radiation contributed to his state. They had spent entirely too long in the beached craft and he was getting antsy. Over the low hubbub he could hear the growing sound of an engine, he was sure of it.

Sonny looked Basset over real quick.. "You look like crap, Sarge." He said . ""But you know what they say. Any landing you can walk away from, must be a good one."

Chuckling mirthlessly, the bags under his eyes evident, Bassett shook his head, 'tell that to the radiation, Sonny. Whole place is drowning in it, you know.'

"Excellent point." Sonny replied. "Well definitely need a stint in sickbay. But still, we didn't die. That's something."

Josiah turned to his troops, taking a headcount in his head and then spoke, "Where's Gaagii?"

"Stasis unit, sir. We couldn't do much for him," Kerr replied.

From where he sat, leaning against cargo container, Johnathan lookd up when he heard the incoming shuttle. He could tell, by the whine of the thrusters, that it was one of theirs. He breathed a sigh of relief. One step closer to going home, h thought to himself.

A burst of squelched static sounded from the long-range comm they had managed to retrieve. Bassett looked over, and swam his way through the crowded dropship, jostling MACO who protested his actions. He was apologetic, but determined to get to the comm.

Roughly manhandling the MACO, Bassett turned the man around, keying the activation code. 'Hel - this is Dropsite Alpha. Who's on the line? Please respond - we need immediate evac, situation is critical.'

There was dead silence, punctuated by only a hiss of static. Bassett bowed his head in frustration and exhaustion. No one's coming ... he thought. They've ... they've left us.

There was another burst of static. Then a voice, barely audible. '... peat this is ... -welve.' It was faint, but it was something. Bassett began fiddling with the comm, getting nothing. He snarled in frustration.

'Anyone know how to work this damned thing!?'

""Nope." Sonny chimed in.

Josiah shuffled over, looking over Bassett's shoulder. "Calm down, Son. Panic won't help in this situation." He held out his hand for the transceiver.

Bassett handed over the device.

Josiah takes the comms, holding it to his ear.

“Any station on frequency, this is Overlord. Repeat last transmission?” He spoke into the comms hoping to get an answer from the static.

A thin, reedy signal belched on the frequency. 'Transport Delta Twelve. Repeat, this is Transport Delta Twelve, any survivors please respond.'

Bassett leaned in, frustrated, 'you need to change the frequency - they can't hear you.'

Josiah looked at the sergeant with that “look” and switched over frequencies.

“Transport Delta Twelve, this is Overlord, how copy?”

'Bad copy ... signal weak, barely able to make you out,' Delta Twelve's pilot's Norwegion-tinted accent was heavy with concern. 'Nukes have caused havoc on the surface, in the air...'

Johnathan looked over at the Colonel as the senior officer tried to connect the comm channel with the transport. "You might need to boost the signal, Colonel. The radiation is probably putting all kinds of interference in the atmosphere."

Josiah nodded, tapping on the comms panel to try to clear up the interference and clicked the receiver again.

"Delta Twelve, Overlord, how copy?"

'Better, Colonel,' Delta-Twelve's voice carried stronger across the line. 'Birds are circling, and we're itching to get you out of this hell hole, Sir. Nukes are playing havoc across the surface - secondary explosions, fallout's blocking the clouds. It's getting nasty. Ship's got room for MACO, but not all of you at once. Suggest you draw lots before we land.'

“Solid Copy Delta Twelve. We’re going to send up our criticals and wounded first. Have Commander Whiford and Doctor Coleman coordinate with fleet medical for additional transports. Full NBC protocols.”

Josiah turned to the gathered MACOs.

“Holt, Kerr, get the wounded ready for transport. The rest of us will take the next one.”

"Roger Roger, " Holt said.

Samuel Hunt approached the Colonel. "Sir perhaps you should go up with the first transport. Being that you are the CO of the Unicorn."

Johnathan nodded in agreement, though he knew what his old instructor, friend and current commanding officer would say. So, he simply added his own spin. "Colonel, as long as you stay down here, so am I. Besides, my back is just banged up a little. I've had worse injuries doing rodeo. Give my seat to someone more injured."

Josiah shook his head. Adamant. "Wounded first, which means you, Captain . Colonel Last to board, first off the dropship. You, the wounded, go first. I'll take the rear watch." Josiah elaborated for his men, trying to be the example. He may have been senior officer but he was not going to take a seat a more wounded MACO could use instead.

Several of the wounded stood, making their way over to where the ship had been welded. Josiah was ready to kick the door down, so that they could head for the Transport when it landed. There was quite a few, including Reece that needed to go up first along with the field medics in the group.

"Holt, Kerr, you two will take Captain Reece and the wounded up to Unicorn first, then return for the rest of us. Oo-rah?" Josiah asked of his field medics turning to face the both of them.

"Gotcha! On it!" Sonny said. He began prepping for transportation.

Johnathan's face didn't betray his thoughts, but he finally nodded his understanding to the Colonel. He then moved as best he could, when Holt and Kerr got on either side of him, to brace his larger frame. "You sure you two got this? I weigh more than you two combined," he tried to joke, putting on a brave face, though his body was not enjoying the movement, due to his injuries.

"All good on my end. I'm stronger than I look." Sonny replied.

Captain Hunt didn't like the idea of being sent up first with this injury. His wound was superficial for the most part and he could still fight. "I will go up with the last of the wounded Sir."

"Not an option, Captain. In a fallout situation even minor wounds can become fatal. Wounded first. The rest of us will hold this ground til the transport can pick us up."

Simply nodding, Hunt quickly boarded the drop ship.

Outside, the sounds of a MACO transport landing could be heard as Josiah readied himself to breech the makeshift door.

"On the bounce!" He says as he cuts down the door with his rifle, and then pushes the metal to the ground.

"Move quickly!" He ushered the wounded to run for the transport, relatively close by. Not too long for them to be outside.

The transport co-pilot moved to the rear of the craft, lowering the on/off ramp as he saw the MACO leave the dropship. Waving at them, he urged them to move quicker as the Delta-Twelve's pilot's hands moved across the console, bringing the engines back to neutral so they could be goosed to lift as soon as the injured were loaded.

The Co-pilot hollered to the Medical personnel, 'pack em in - fit as many as you can in here!'

The two medics began working in tandem with the help of those who were able to load the wounded into the transport.

Bassett leant against the door, sweat running down his face, as he watched his comrades load up on the transport. A cold knot had formed in his chest - he knew that he wouldn't be getting on the transports. He could feel it. Retreating back into the shelter of the wrecked dropship.

Josiah kept eyes on the dropship til it took off, then turned and reentered the dropship.

"Barring any hostiles, they should be back in a few hours. Then we should be out of here, Staff Sergeant." Josiah commented, slumping down across from him after he resealed the door from the worse of the fallout.

Delta-Twelve's pilot broadcast a general message they were lifting off. He was unhopeful that anyone would receive it, the nuclear clouds were too thick. Goosing the engines, he was pressed back into the pilot's seat momentarily before the dampers kicked in and eased the g-forces.

The heavy transport's four engines glowed as they pulled the craft into the air, covering a tight arc that shot it up to Orbit in short order.

Sat on a ruined chair in the dropship, Bassett's breathing became laboured as he waited for the transport to return.

As the heavily armored transport clawed its way upper out of the heavily contaminated atmosphere, Johnathan remained silent and thoughtful about the war thus far. While there had been some victories here and there, the Romulans seemed to still have the upper hand. If something didn't change soon, he dreaded what would happen.

Bowing his head in exhaustion, Bassett supported his frame against his rifle. Driven in to to the mangled ground, it was the only thing keeping him up. He felt like he was burning up inside, sweat pouring down his face. The MACO was aware of a dull pain that seemed to spread out from somewhere deep inside. Should've brought more rad medicine, he thought ruefully, with a sharp indrawn breath.

Captain Hunt looked over at Bassett who wasn't looking too good. This only made him feel worse about returning to this ship with this group. Needless to say, he just sat back silent as he was now starting to feel a silent sting in his arm.

Josiah and Bassett both would need time in DECON when they returned to the ship. Digging out an IFAK, Josiah pressed a anti-rad hypo to his arm and injected a dose before tossing it to Bassett.

"Probably need another dose there, Bassett." Josiah commented seeing the Staff Sergeants condition.

"You got to stay with me, Staff Sergeant, can't be sleeping on the job when evac is this close. Talk to me, what are you going to do when you get back on ship?" Josiah though if he kept him talking, that Bassett wouldn't conk out on him. At least he hoped. Rad death is not a way for a solider to go. He read too much about the casualties in the aftermath of WW3 and the atomic bombings of the 20th century, it was not a pretty sight for sure.

'What ... I'll do when I get back ... to the ship?' he asked, every word a labour. Bassett chuckled dryly as he sweated. 'What makes you think I'm gonna make it back Colonel? Face it, I'm cooked - literally.' The man smiled weakly as he considered his options. 'Just wish I coulda seen home one last time.'

Josiah looked him over, he wasn't ready to give up hope, even if Bassett was. He simply spoke. "You're goin see home again, I promise you that Jordan. Even if I have to drag you up to Unicorn myself, you're going home."

He had to make that promise. Hope was a powerful thing and he wanted Bassett to keep hope even if he didn't want too.

'Huh, sure,' Bassett responded with obvious disbelief. 'Sure I will ...'

[tbc]

Colonel Josiah McEntyre
Commanding Officer
Unicorn NX-151
MACO SOCOM

Commander Gunnar Magnusson
Chief Science Officer
Unicorn NX-151

Lance Corporal Jeremy Kerr
Medic
Unicorn NX-151
(NPC Sub-Commander T'Shir)

Captain Samuel Hunt
MACO Officer
Unicorn NX-151

Sergeant Bassett
MACO Expeditionary Force
Unicorn NX-151
[NPC Commander Saul Whitford]

Sergeant Sonny Holt
Field Medic
Unicorn NX-151

Lieutenant Commander Alexander Coleman, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Unicorn NX-151

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