RP:Infection

Background
While you may sign up and feel free to make rough drafts of your characters, units, etc. you plan to use during the event, nothing besides official moderator-approved content will be accepted and/or submitted until May 1st, 2010 ; the event coordinator will release the prologue to Infected to give contributors a good idea of the feeling for the story, which will mark the beginning of the RP.

You can view the prologue, Halo Reach: BioWar, at this link HERE!

Directions
Please follow all directions below, your refusal to do so may entitle you a ban from the event.


 * 1) Any directions given by RP Moderators must be complied with, or you and your content will be removed from the event if it presents a clear problem with insubordination.
 * 2) You are only allowed one post per day, with a minimum of at least four six-sentence paragraphs. Your post may be as long as you want as long as it conforms to this rule.
 * 3) No SPARTAN-II's or any other supersoldiers will not be allowed for the majority of the event to prevent godmodding and lackluster The Library-esque content. Later on, a few  MAY  be allowed, but only with permission by Moderators.
 * 4) Each contributor will either be "in-charge" of a Battalion (500-800 soldiers) in the Monastir Guards Brigade (1143rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team) or a civilian group aided by a small military detail. As the event progresses, you may request and/or be given opportunities for different types of groups than the ones listed above.
 * 5) As the story progresses, focus on different parts of the battle will occur, make sure you keep up-to-date on this.
 * 6) This story is set within CommanderTony's own personal Halo timeline, known as the Tonyverse. While it is suggested you learn some of the basics about said universe, a good amount of creative freedom is given to each contributor.
 * 7) Collaboration posts are allowed, though give a brief explanation to an available moderator before hand.
 * 8) Using the templates provided HERE, participants are encouraged to write articles focused all content you create for your posts. Categorize them by adding the category Infection at the bottom of the page.
 * 9) We will be providing updates on this RP's talk page on a regular basis, make sure you read them as soon as possible to know what you need to do for each of your posts throughout the campaign.

Event Moderators
The users listed below are to be respected and listened to at all times, they know and plan the story out in detail so contributors have a good background to write their posts with. Moderators will be tasked with creating plot-twists within the event, that the contributors can base their future posts on. They may at any time, without warning and authorization, make minor edits to your posts to either conform to spelling, grammar, or canonical standards.

If you feel confident enough with the event's canon that you wish to enlist your service's as a Moderator, send a formal request to CommanderTony on his talk page HERE.


 * CommanderTony — Writer and director of the Infection series, as well as the coordinator of the event.
 * 117649AnnihilativeRepentance — Second-in-command.
 * Spartan-091 — Volunteer moderator.

Events
Throughout Infection, different battles, situations, and campaigns occur on the Human colony of New Harmony. As such, each contributor is responsible for being familiar with the timeline set forth in the timeline provided by the teaser communique Halo Reach: Infection. A summarized and more what-to-do oriented one is provided below:


 * 1) Outbreak — The unintentional release of Seoulnum virus-infected test subjects from the Andromeda Military Science Institute on October 20th, 2550.
 * 2) Response — Governor General Kinberg puts the New Harmony Land Forces Command on high-alert, and sends an evacuation notice informing the populace of a "Covenant invasion" on October 22nd. Local Naval and Marine forces quickly arrive on scene. New Harmony forces react to small infestations and are able to contain them.
 * 3) Infection — On October 25th, over half of the population of New Harmony has been infected with the Seoulnum virus despite initial estimations on the growth of the infestation. The Rapid Reaction Fleet's main body arrives to the planet and is ordered to seize and/or destroy any civilian evacuation vessel containing a possible Seoulnum threat.
 * 4) Saturation Bombing — The majority of New Harmony has been infested by the Seoulnum virus, Vice Admiral Pinto is ordered by UEG Chancellor Beland to release weapons of mass destruction over the colony on October 27th. All major cities and holdouts are devastated by the attacks.
 * 5) Containment — The main threat presented by the infected is now eliminated, and large amounts of UNSC Special Forces and New Harmony soldiers are sent back down to the surface to destroy any remaining holdouts and to rescue stranded civilians on October 31st and November 1st.

Invitation
If you want to officially invite your friends or other editors into the project, then go to this link HERE to copy and paste the embed code creating the template seen below.

How to sign up
After you've read the entire background section multiple times, and decided Infection seems like an interesting idea, sign your name below using this template: *

This will aid the Moderators and other contributors in allowing them to view content you've submitted for the event, as well as converse with you without the hassle of playing Where's Waldo in the page's edit history.

List of writers
To reduce the length of the page, this list will be contained within a Scroll box, please post above these tags:  }} 

Player Characters
Each users has their choice of one or two characters their unit/group will be based around. These characters can be a grizzled New Harmony sergeant, a geeky civilian, a power-hungry constable, or anything else you can think of.


 * CommanderTony — Major General Henry West and Lieutenant Simon Montgomery
 * Another Poetic Spartan — Captain Ashton Graves
 * 117649AR — Colonel Marc Lemierre
 * Bobzombie — Lieutenant Colonel Ben Garcia and Corporal Martin Jones
 * Sgt.T.N.Biscuits — Warrant Officer Ross Ainsley and Major Randall Freemont
 * Spartan-091 — Petty Officer Second Class Jack-G101 and Nick "Web" Webley
 * The All-knowing Sith'ari — Major Megan Callaghan
 * Subtank — Cameron Nadiah
 * Sgt.johnson —Petty Officer Second Class Travis-G292
 * Jawsredfield —Journalist Beth Hedges
 * Hyper Zergling —
 * CarpeJugulum - Major Theodore Ashcroft
 * LOMI - Author William Lloyd and Lance Corporal Justin Davis
 * SPARTAN-118 -
 * Nra 'Vadumee - Master Sergeant Emerson MacTaven, Joseph MacTaven
 * Shivly - Alex Mccraw
 * FightWithHonor -  Ralph MacGregor.
 * The Leader - Agent Roman Jackson and Second Lieutenant David Smith (at the start of the story Command Sergeant Major Sergeant David Smith)

Non-player Characters
To continue to expand the universe surrounding the Infection RP, there will be numerous characters that will not be "role-playable" to the contributors. These characters will be solely featured in the RP posts of the moderators. If you wish to add a person to this list, contact any of the moderators.


 * Governor General Leland Kinberg — Leader of the Commonwealth of New Harmony, and Commander-in-Chief of the New Harmony Army.
 * Vice Admiral Jun Pinto — Commander-in-Chief, Twentieth Fleet (Rapid Reaction Forces Command).
 * Doctor Vladimir Petrovich — Chief Scientist, Andromeda Military Science Institute (Office of Naval Intelligence).

Order of Battle
A list of all units and groups featured in the Infection RP.

United Nations Space Command
(NOTE: One regiment is still needed to complete the Monastir Guards, and fill in three battalions per regiment. Inform the regimental commanders [seen in the writer template at top of each page] prior to establishing a unit.)
 * New Harmony Land Forces Command
 * Monastir Guards (1143rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team)'''
 * Royal Monastir Dragoons
 * The Pastor Rifles
 * Airborne Guards of Huntington
 * '''Rapid Reaction Fleet
 * Twentieth Fleet
 * Destroyer Squadron 87
 * Rapid Reaction Fleet Marine Forces
 * 9th Shock Division
 * 27th Marine Division
 * 223rd Marine Engineering Brigade

Civilians
To all who are commanding a civilian survivor group in the Tyumen region, all you simply have to do is link the name of your group. Preferably, these groups are named after the towns/cities in which the survivors are located in. And remember that as a Commonwealth colony, a good portion of the location names should be inspired by British, Canadian, Australian, and New England names.


 * Commonwealth of New Harmony
 * Fairfax Survivors- Nick "Web" Webley and others.
 * Hastings Survivors- Cameron Nadiah and others.
 * Cardiff Survivors- Beth Hedges and others
 * New Remmington Survivors- Joseph MavTavish and others

Posting
'Actual posting and the beginning of Infection'' will take place on Wednesday, May 5th when CommanderTony posts the first entry for the RP. Thank you for your patience! Also, remember to read the prologue to Infection HERE!'''

Make sure you sign ALL of your posts with the following section title under the appropriate event  ====USERNAME (post NUMBER)==== . See below if you are still confused...

The All-knowing Sith'ari (post 3)
11:00 - 22 OCTOBER 2550

NEW HARMONY, GAMMA CENTAURI, SECTOR TWO

Ministry

The evacuation of Ministry was proceeding better than Megan Callaghan had expected. It turned out that Governor Kinberg had had the foresight to send out an evacuation notice informing the populace of a "Covenant invasion" just after they'd left the Training Grounds, so fortuitously they had fewer civilians to deal with, as most had already packed up and left, and those that were left in the town were proving most agreeable. Most of the civilians had already got aboard the coaches and left, so they only had two more to fill.

"How are things going, Lieutenant?" she asked one of her platoon commanders, so glad that she was able to say it properly and not have to use the ridiculous "Loo-tenant" pronunciation that Garcia insisted upon in his presence.

"Got about a hundred more civvies to go, ma'am, then we can bug outta here," he said happily, consulting his HUD.

"Well done, Lieutenant. Five points to Gryffindor."

She called her Company Commanders together. "Okay, time to go to phase B. The command section'll provide security on these coaches with the Gendarmes, while you five move on to your objectives. Hoo-ah?"

"Hoo-ah!"

"Good, you know where to go. Get on with it."

The companies split into platoons and patrolled toward their objectives so that as much of the town was covered as possible. Alpha and Bravo Companies headed toward the power station, while Delta and Echo headed toward the water treatment works. On the way, Delta Company's Third Platoon found a wailing child, alone in a side street, having become separated during the evacuation.

"Adams, take this kid back to the evac point," ordered Lieutenant Andy Savage, knowing that the Private was a family man. Lee Adams jumped out of formation and picked up the child, carrying him back the way they'd come.

The companies arrived at their objectives in a multi-pronged "death-thrust". If there had been anyone left in the town, civilian or infected, they would have noticed them. Captain John Price's Alpha Company moved quickly through Ministry's power station, placing charges on turbines, generators, pylons, solar panels, and anything else that looked vital, while Captain Victoria Baker's Bravo Company covered the approaching roads. Meanwhile, at the water treatment works, Captain Rebecca Winters' Echo Company attached IR strobes to pipes and storage tanks, and then sprinted out and called in mortar fire.

Callaghan nodded with satisfaction as the last coach pulled away, and then ten mortar rounds streaked overhead and slammed into the water treatment works with a thunderous roar. Great columns of smoke and steam rose into the air to the cheering of the men and women on the ground, who took immense satisfaction in a job well done, especially if it involved huge explosions. Moments later, a second series of explosions tore through the silence of the deserted town as Price's men activated their charges. C-12 shaped charges blew pylons to the ground, M383C Demolition Kits tore fuse boxes to fragments, and Thermite-Carbon Cords melted transformers into useless lumps of solid metal. The entire power station crumbled in a flash of smoke and fire.

Callaghan grinned and activated her radio. "Pastor-One-One, this Pastor-One-One-Actual, re-org, say again, re-org. Return to the evac point and get ready to move out. Good job, everyone, twenty points to Gryffindor. Out."

She was making her way to one of the flat-bed trucks when suddenly her radio chirped. "Pastor-One-One-Actual, this is Pastor-One-Two," said the alarmed voice of the commander of Callaghan's heavy weapons platoons. "We're seeing a mass of unidentified heat signatures approaching your position from the north-east! Recommend you get out of there now!"

Callaghan looked around for a good observation point, and saw a fire escape leading up a block of flats. "Fitz, come with me!" she shouted to her 2IC, Captain Charlotte Fitzwilliam. The two of them sprinted up the fire escape to the top floor. Callaghan trained her binoculars towards the north-east, and saw a huge crowd - far in excess of the company she'd imagined - of Seoulnum-infected Marines, Gendarmes, and Monastir Guardsmen sprinting down the pass from the Andromeda Science Centre towards Ministry.

"Well," she said, handing the binoculars to Fitzwilliam. "Things are starting to look a bit sticky."

Bobzombie and Another Poetic Spartan (post 4)
12:00 - 22 OCTOBER 2550

NEW HARMONY, GAMMA CENTAURI, SECTOR TWO

TPR HQ

Martin Jones

Martin Jones woke to the sound of gunfire. He immediately went for his M6D. Pulling out the hefty hand gun he switched on the tac-lite and searched his bunk. Around him other members of his squad also began to stir. Across from him Jonathan reached for the light. The room was illuminated by the soft yellow glow of the single light bulb. Martin looked out his window, and saw death. He saw an infantry man run at full speed from a group off ghouls hot on his heels.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Infected inside the perimeter!Soft clothes and bare essentials get your asses moving god damn it!"

Martin looked out across the field attempting to locate the captain.

"What are we gonna do Marty?" one soldier asked a panicky edge to his voice.

"Soldier we are going to find the cap and get the hell outa here."

"But what about the infected?"

"Who gives a damn about the bloody infected!?!" Jonathan yelled out his voice thick with his accent.

"We respect our enemies specialist." Martin said coldly."Now find the damn captain and get orders ASAP! And try to get to the armory!"

The squad rushed out and fired into the teeming mass of infected. Martin's DMR bucked in his arms and slammed against his shoulder. He fired again and flicked the select fire switch to full auto. "Jonathan! get to the armory and get a .50! We'll cover you!"

"Are you crazy you bloody yank!"

"That was order soldier!"

"Fuck you!"

"What was that?!?"

"Fuck you ,sir!" at that Jonathan ran for the armory. Martin opened up with his now automatic DMR and felt the power to end lives in his hands. He hit one of the infected 3, 4 times and then a 5h before he finally went down.

" Martin Jones to Captain Graves! Martin Jones to Captain Graves, Echo-4 to Captain Graves you out there?"

Ashton Graves

Ashton awoke to the screams of dying men. Grabbing his firearm at his side, Ashton quickly ran over to the window. Peeking at the corner, he saw various men putting up a futile defense against the infected. "How the hell did they get here?" He thought. Just then, he saw one man get grabbed by one of the infected. He tried to get away but the dead unclenching hands held firm. His eyes were wide-eyed in terror as the thing went for his neck. The man made one last scream before the thing tore into his body, eventually throwing his dead body into the mass of infected behind him.

"Holy Shit.". Thats all Ashton had to say. Ashton saw that most of his men were starting to stir, obviously waking up to the noise outside. The others didn't wake up quick enough were immediately woken up by the butt of their companions weapons.

"Alright you guys! Suit up! Put on your bare uniforms and take out the guns!" Ashton yelled out. Suddenly, everyone was dressing up, with all of them just putting on boots and a white shirt

As Ashton was gathering his gear, he heard a knocking noise come from outside the door. He heard frantic knocking and screams for help. One last scream echoed before it ended. But minutes later, the knocking reassumed but this time, it was a dull thump. Cautiously, he motioned two of his men with weapons at the ready. One of them grasped the doorknob and slowly turned it. His face were wide opened and he was breathing heavily. The other beside him was shaking with fear, sweat running down his brow. A groaned echoed through the room and suddenly, the door ripped away and several infected grabbed the two men. They disappeared inside the masses of flesh. They screamed in horror and pain until it died down.

"Fuck." Ashton quietly said. Some of the infected started to go through the door and and was going for them.

"Fire!" Ashton cried out. Soon, the whole room erupted with gunfire, quickly downing them as they were hit at various places, usually the head.

Ashton motioned for his men to leave. They all left together and they quickly turned their heads when they saw the remains of their former companions strewn out over the floor. "Captain. What are we going to do?" One of them asked, his eyes running back and forth. Everywhere they went, they saw dead bodies everywhere, the undead or their former companions. Ashton could hear gunfire ring through the grounds.

"We group together. That's what we do," Ashton answered back. "Make sure you guys reload. I don't want any of you guys to get screwed." Ashton checked his own gun. He strapped it over his shoulder and brought out his rifle, with it ready to fire.

As his group rounded the corner, they came face to face with a group of infected. "Son of a bitch." Ashton murmured. The infected noticed them and they clamored their way to the survivors.

"You three!" He pointed to the men standing beside him. "Take defensive positions behind those barrels." The men nodded. Soon, they were firing.

"The rest of you. I want some to guard our back while the rest of us hammer rounds into those bastards. Agreed?" The men nodded, knowing that if any of them screwed up, they would all die.

The fighting ensued and Ashton quickly ran out of ammunition for his rifle. When Ashton was about to change weapons, he felt a small vibration in his pocket. It was the radio. "Martin Jones to Captain Graves! Martin Jones to Captain Graves, Echo-4 to Captain Graves you out there?" The radio boomed.

"This is Lockon. Good to hear from you Martin!" Ashton answered.

"Ashton! You're alive!" Martin exclaimed.

"Yeah I am. We're in hell don't you agree?"

"Indeed we are sir."

"What is your current location? I'll try to rendevous with you."

"Lockon! They broke through the lines! We can't hold them much longer!" One of his men yelled.

Jones

"What is your current location? I'll try to rendevous with you."

"Wilco, we are in the armory, suggest you get over here ASAP. Solid structure, could hold 'em off for a while sir."

""Lockon! They broke through the lines! We can't hold them much longer!" One of his men yelled. "

"Graves, stay put we'll come to you."

Martin clicked off his chatter and signaled for his men to get ready to run for the motor pool. They complied and in a flash they began running. When they arrived they found a saxon driver already getting ready to move.

"And just what in the hell do you think you're doin'?" asked Jonathan.

"Are you insane?" aked the driver. "Have you seen it out there? Fuck our orders I'm getting the fuck outa here mate. I suggest you do the same."

"That's treason soldier." Martin replied cooly while drawing his pistol. "Get in the saxon and get us to Captain Graves' position or I'll blow your fuckin' brains out, get it?"

"Ye-ye-yes sir." he replied quickly and jumped into the saxon. "Buckle down back there and get ready to roll."

"Echo-4 to Lockon we are in a Saxon en route to your position, sit tight. Echo-4 out."

Graves

"This is Lt.Colonel Garcia to Charlie Co. we have an alert in your perimeter what's going on down there? This is Eagle 6 to Lockon, you there captain?"

"Wilco Eagle 6, I read you."

"Lockon what the hell is going on down there?"

"We have a slight problem down here. Infected inside the perimeter are wreaking hell down here. I got a Saxon on the way to me but that's just to bring me to the armory for protection. Our defensive line is broken and we are close to being over run."

"Say that again."

Jones broke in over the radio "Sir we have a shitload of infected down here. We need E-vac ASAP!"

"Wilco, Lockon I am going to try to get the flyboys to airlift you out of there. We need you boys to do some babysitting for the demo boys. I can't you boys airsupport though. Sit tight Captain"

"Fantastic Colonel. Sitting tight."

"And Ashton"

"Yes sir?"

"Good luck out there. Eagle 6 out."

Garcia

"Eagle 6 to Pastor 1-1 Act. This is Eagle 6. Did I give you permission to fall back? Get your British ass back to Ministry ASAP. We have infected everywhere and all air assets are tied down. We need to hold the god damn line until further notice. Charlie Co. is at HQ under siege and I am trying to get the Guards to lift them outa there. Do not advance hold your position at Phase line Echo and wait for further orders. Good luck out there Eagle 6 out."

Sgt.T.N.Biscuits (Post 4)
12:10 – 22 OCTOBER 2550

NEW HARMONY, GAMMA CENTAURI, SECTOR TWO

Firebase Phoenix, Runway Alpha 0-1

“Negative Pastor Rifle 2-1, all use of airstrikes is currently forbidden until we receive confirmation that all civilians within the perimeter have been evacuated, do you copy?”

Ross Ainsley walked alongside First Sergeant Randall Freemont as the sounds of radio transmissions and rotors filled the sky. Tiltrotors and UAVs were filling the cloudy skyline as the three Airborne squadrons prepared for what might have been the planet’s biggest battle since the invasion of 2537. Volunteers from across New Harmony were arming their weapons and running across the airfield to reach their assigned destinations.

“Do you think, we might actually lose this time?” Freemont asked, as he cocked back the charging handle on his M7 SMG. The gun had been equipped with a reflex sight and flash suppressor to allow for more skilled combat. Along with the SMG, Freemont had an M90 Shotgun slung on his back and M6G B-variant holstered on his side.

”What do you mean, mate?” replied Ainsley. He too was heavily armored. He held an M312 Designated Marksman Rifle in the front of his body. The gun had been equipped with a removable optical sight, M27 bayonet, and a flashlight attached below the muzzle.

“The Admiralty hasn’t been this worried since the invasion 13 years ago. And the only reason we won back then was because we had the help of over 40 ships. Now we got some kind bloody zombie virus spreading over the whole damn city and all we got is group of misfits.”

“Eh, whatever, but personally-

“God-damnit, soldier. Get your royal ass back to your chopper and start dying. I got men dying out here, and your concerned about your damn reputation? Get me some air support, now damnit!” the Pastor Rifle’s Colonel Benjamin Garcia Interrupted over the radio. Despite the low quality of the transmissions, the two men decided to listen in on the conversation as they approached their destinations.

”Sir, with all due respect, I have direct orders from my bloody CO, now if you want-

“You mean Colonel Scott? Well, let him know that I’m overruling his order. Get some damn aircraft down to Charlie Company’s HQ now!” Ainsley and Freemont then proceeded to turn off their headsets as they both approached their separate aircrafts.

“Look on the bright side, mate, at least we don’t have him in charge.” Ainsley joked as the craft began to take off.

Suddenly, their headsets were useless, for the sound of the infected had filled the sky.

Mary Smith

Captain Mary Smith twirled a lock of her blond hair that laid outside her CH252 helmet. She looked down at the young soldier who sat on the bay of the Falcon Tiltrotor, his hand firmly gripped on the powerful stationary turret. A second Falcon passed slightly ahead of them as they soared over the bare farmland below them. A distress signal popped up on the pilot's screen, followed by a short, yet frightening message.

"They're everywhere..."

CarpeJugulum (Post 2)
Ashcroft's hair, slighly longer than regulation and tradition allowed for (even with the relaxed standards of the New Harmony Colonials), whipped at his face as the Falcon tiltrotor he was riding to the front at Tyumen cut through the air. Less than ten hours ago he and his men had been made certain on the real reason they had been called back to base- an outbreak of some secret bioweapon that had already been nicknamed the "zombie virus." The Airborne Guards had been spilt up dy squadron, each of which would be used to extract civilians from the affected region in order to allow an area-wide bombardment to cleanse the land of the infected. So far, he'd heard nothing about the rest of the Monastir Guards' divisions, the Pastor Rifles or the Royal Monastir Dragoons.

The voice of their pilot crackled over the headsets each soldier wore. "All units, we are approaching the village of Hampton. Prepare to drop and evacuate survivors." The 333rd had three heavier transports that would remain a ways behind the group until the civilians had been rounded up.

As the Falcons neared the village, Ashcroft's fingers tightened on the assault rifle secured on his chest by his crash webbing. Making sure his sidearm was securely holstered, he took a breath and put his helmet on, cutting off the rushing sound of the wind and replacing it with only a dull roar.

The Falcons jerked to a halt and the loadmaster unspooled a rappelling line that trailed to the ground, ten meters below. "Everyone, down!" He roared. Ashcroft was third in the line. Attaching his descender to the rope, Ashcroft slid down the line quickly and hit the ground with his sidearm drawn, surveying the frightened crowd that had gathered to watch the soldiers abseil into the center of town. Ashcroft unstrapped a megaphone from his webbing and popped his helmet, beginning to shout orders to the civilians. "My name is Squadron Leader Theodore Ashcroft! I'm the commanding officer of Three-Thirty-Third Squadron, Eleventh Airborne! We need to evacuate you people now! Where is the mayor?"

"That would be me," volunteered a man standing in the front row of the crowd. Ashcroft judged him to be about fifty, fifty-five years old, in fit condition. "I'm Jonathan Young."

Ashcroft walked over to him. "Mister Young, this town is under imminent threat by a rogue bio-weapon. We need you to help us organize the withdrawal of your people from the area."

Young frowned. "Bio-weapon?" What kind of bio-weapon?"

Ashcroft started to explain that he wasn't able to share that information, but before he could a scream was heard from somewhere in the town. The townspeople looked around and began to mutter amongst themselves. "Everyone stay here!" bellowed Ashcroft. He waved two of his sergeants over. "Sergeants, take three or four soldiers and help Mister Young round up the last stragglers." They saluted and grabbed a few soldiers, then joined Young and left the square.

Ashcroft turned back to the civilians. "Everyone, get as close in to the center of the square as you can. We'll keep the streets covered." As the civilans moved together, Ashcroft's men and women bgean to set up a defensive square.

The silence was suddenly broken by a loud cry of "Contact!" Ashcroft's HMD identified the speaker as Sergeant First Class Mohammed K. Mohammed, one of the two he'd sent out with Young. "Say again, we have contact with the infected. Retreating to the center of-" The rest of his message was lost in a bloodcurdling roar, a totally inhuman noise. Ashcroft listened intently, hearing nothing. "Shit," he muttered, casting a quick eye over his soldiers. They semmed shaken but still unafraid. Luckily only those with headsets had heard the transmission.

"Sergeant Mohammed, do you copy? Over." Ashcroft said, more of a plea than anything else. "I say again, Sergeant Mohammed, do you copy? Over."

"Sir, this is Corporal Thompson," came the reply. The speaker was a Corporal Ian Thompson. "Both the sergeants are down, as is one other man. I've got tallies for you once we get back to base. We have thirteen civilians, including Mayor Young."

"Well done, Corporal," Ashcroft said, relieved. "Get on back here and we'll get onboard and the hell away. And also- consider youself Sergeant Thompson. I'll have the paperwork back at base."

"Sir, yessir," replied the newly-minted sergeant. Ashcroft could hear the grin in his voice.

A tense ten minutes passed, but the rest of the civilians arrived safely. As they loaded aboard the transports, Ashcroft felt as though they were being watched. He turned, hand on holster, but saw nothing. Nevertheless, he closed up his helmet and said over the secure COM channel, "All squads, be on the alert for hostiles."

When the last civilian had embarked and the Falcon were landing, Ashcroft leapt aboard and let out a long exhalation. Now for the next one, he thought sourly.

"Contact!" someone cried, and Ashcroft's head snapped around. Infected humans- no. zombies was the only word for them- lurched across the square towards the embarking soldiers.

"Get on your Falcons!" Ashcroft cried, ripping his rifle free of its closures and sighting up. He let out a long burst into the nearest infectee, tearing it to shreds with the 7.62mm hollow-point rounds. Soldiers flung themslevss aboard the tiltrotors as those who had already embarked fired over them. Ashcroft's rifle clicked empty and he flung the useless magazine at one of the zombies, slapping a fresh one in its place. The Falcon suddenly tipped under him and he grabbed the bulkhead to steady himself, his rifle dropping to the ground below. "Fuck!" he swore, and drew his pistol, emptying the twelve-round magazine in four seconds.

As the Falcons lifted off, Ashcroft heard the rattle of weapons fire on the ground. Afraid that a soldier had been left behind, he looked down, only to see one of the zombies had blown its own face off with his rifle. He chuckled, but that was stopped when another one of the infected took the rifle and fired a long burst in the general direction of the Falcons.

"Well, that's interesting," he said, and sighed. This would be a long fight.

Bobzombie (Post 5)
11:00 - 22 OCTOBER 2550

NEW HARMONY, GAMMA CENTAURI, SECTOR TWO

'TPR Mobile Command Post

Garcia

"Repeat I need airlift at Charlie Company's HQ! They have infected all over the place! Word has it that we are being folded into the Tyumen division so if that happens we can kiss them goodbye!" Garcia screamed into the headset. He had already lost quite a few men to the infection.

"Roger that." came the reply. It was heavily accented Scottish. "We will be there ASAP. And-" He was cut off by screaming. On the screen of the elephants command center he saw a Falcon spiral to the ground.

"Repeat that CSM Ainsley? You there?"

Jones

"They are everywhere!" Screamed Jonathan in his Scottish accent.

"Retreat!" Screamed Captain Graves.

"Fall back! Lets go!" Barked Jones. The Saxon fired its Co-Axil gun into the horde of undead rushing at them.

"Die you sons of bitches die!" Roared the gunner.

Jones and his men walked backwards firing into the crowd of approaching zombies. His DMR bucked in his arms. Farther back Jonathan and his fireteam were hacking away at their enemy with a Warthog.

"Echo-4 to anybody out there we need support! Repeat support and E-Vac!" A radioman was screaming into his headset.

Suddenly a new voice broke over the radio. "This is Tango 2-3! Repeat this is Scorpion Tango 2-3. We have been cut off from the rest of our unit and are headed to your position."