=============
Combat Drop: Tango November Alpha 23 (aka Klendathu #23)
Corporal Russ Krook III
5th Mid South Division, Bravo Detatchment.
Mobile Infantry
Report As Follows:
We set down on the planet Fleet Intel had designated as Tango
November Alpha 23. I think that somone in Intel has a sense of
humor designating a planet as "T&A," but I digress.
We set down at 1505 hours, local time. The planet's sun was high
and there was no concealment as 90% of the planet is a barren
wasteland with only scrub brush and minimal vegitation.
We came in hot, under fire from an untold number of Plasma firing
bugs.
We seemed to lose about 50% of the dropships in under 5
minutes. Again, it seems intel was WRONG and the "lightly
defended" planet crawled.
We disembarked...
...and within moments our dropship was blown apart.
We were set upon by a hoard of bugs and in minutes, we lost the
Lieutenant and most of the upper echelon of officers. I was left
with a partial squad of newbies, fresh outta boot and a combat
cameraman.
In the initial minutes of combat I lost my weapon when a warrior
bug attacked me, and only dumb luck allowed the bug to hit my
weapon, rather than myself. I was saved by Private Hendricks.
I left the drop zone with the remains of the squad and took
command in the absence of anyone (other than myself) higher
than a private.
It should be noted that the surface temprature was appx. 85
degrees (on the old scale), and at that point I decided to remove
my uniform jacket and proceed without it. My attached Q-3
Quartermaster Requisition Form reflects my missing uniform jacket.
We moved about five K to dropzone 3. DZ3 had a high peak that I
hoped to use to signal for retreval.
The squad formed as defensive perimeter at the base of the peak
and I climbed to the summit to signal for evac.
Luckily, there was a ship doing low altitude flybys of the hot zones,
and saw me visually.
I decended and the squad headed for the new evac point .
That's when the bugs attacked. I don't know how they found us,
but they came out of nowhere.
I used my knife to allow Private Hendricks to escape...
...only to lose her a minute later to another bug. The remainder of
the squad broke ranks (on my orders) and headed for the ship.
I held the rearward position, and used my grenades to hold off the
bugs before I was able to board the ship and escape.
I hope we're not, but If we're going back there, next time I'm
carrying TWO Moritas.
Corporal Russ Krook III
