Ch. 7 When are we getting out of here?

[Mierin]

Sam shakes her head and replies, "Sure, let's start there." Sam sits down on the nearest bed and tries to get comfortable as she waits for her brother to respond.

[Tori]

Tori didn't believe for a minute that a war fighter would feel good about becoming a pogue, but decided not to challenge the man. "Tacky here got deployed without an issue of gear. We're gonna need armor, a primary, secondary, blades, explosives, uniforms, LBG, first aid kit, flashlights, canteens, optics, a partridge in a pear tree, an' anything else this feline needs. Our XO's over in heavy weapons, but will sign the requisition chits."

Tori scratched under her chin briefly, "An we'll be needin an armor repair kit, and to draw some fresh clips."

[Janxi]

"We could also replace some of our explosives. We ran through a lot of ord-nance fakin' an air strike, ya know. Fusion blocks, plastique, grenades, det tape limpets, and heavy hi-ex arrows. For me an' T, both. Plus, if Takota is EOD qualified, he'll need dets, too."

Like Tori, Janxi didn't believe a pogue had ever seen a battlefield. Anyone who was ever commando, Marine infantry or any type of special operations would be ashamed to be manning the supply department. Maybe he was infantry and just a coward.

"Got any requests, Tacky?"

[Takota]

Takara had never had any 'nip before so he is not sure what effects, if any, will happen to him. After all not everyone is the same so whatever Janxi gets from the stuff might have the complete opposite effect on him.

"Well in the way of weapons ... something equivalent to a JA-12 would be nice. Good mid-range firepower with a close range bang also. For a sidearm I'd prefer something non-laser. Of course a good vibro-blade is always a good thing also." He takes a moment to glance at the other two cats. "I don't know what my role is to be on this mission so if I'm going to be carrying a heavy weapon ... well I'll go with your recommendation since it seems that a rail-gun is not desirable."

[Tori]

"Hmm, I reckon plasma or P-Beam is nice and toasty. Janx uses a CTT-P40 with optics from a C-10. The range sucks, but it's super-accurate to 2,000 feet, an' I've seen her bring down a man with medium EBA in one shot! C-29 ain't got tha range, and has fewer shots, but it's got tha same punch. CP-50 would give us some grenadier firepower, and tha way rats run in packs, pump action grenade fire might be right good to scatter 'em! Precise is good, but smashin' 'em's better."

Tori gave a nod at the JA-12. "Dat's da Swiss Army rifle! Love a Juicer 12. But Janxi Joplin's kinda got tha midrange down, and is a bit of our DM (designated marksman) wif her JA-13, but uhh... If you wanted the long-range precision, maybe one of them PRED-LRR15's... Shep's gittin' one of them pepperbox lasers. Dey do sum fine work, and never make a sound over than sizzle. Dem rats ain't the toughest, but dere's thousands of 'em. Mebbe a mini-gun ain't so bad. Hose 'em down."

[dakota]

[Sam]

Tim sat on the bunk across from Sam," Look, whatever you're thinking, I wasn't going AWOL. yes, we overstayed and I got a little too friendly with the locals, especially after the squad got the stuffing knocked out of it by that turtle thing. I needed to get my head on straight before I came back, and never forced anyone to stay, except maybe Bear, but he'd do anything we told him. " Tim smiled weakly. " Sam, we knew the rats were there and we had to stay until we had solid intel, and we..., sort of got attached. You understand, don't you?"


[Cats]

As he moved passed the gap in the counter, the cats soon saw why the quartermaster was bitter. the entire lower half of his body was mechanical and instead of legs, he rode on tracks like a tank. He rolled passed Tori," Basic gear is on the shelves, ordinance is on the racks. Explosives and ammo I've got behind the counter, think I've got a couple boxes of arrowheads left." He caught the glances and explained," Docs in IronHeart said my ticker wouldn't take the stress of full conversion so they stuck me in this borg wheelchair temporarily and I got used to it."

Shep came around the corner carrying a few items, but no weapons." I'll stick to old faithful. Making any headway yet? Janxi, you got room in your ruck for a long range comm unit? I'd dump it on Tori, but she needs to get a real medkit to work with. Tak, pick something that feels comfortable, we'll squeeze in some range time before we ship if it's something new." He paused, and picked up a Ng-45LP," Now this I like, better than that old C-20" he grinned.

[Tori]

"No disrespect meant. We're a lil defensive 'bout who we are, juss like I expect yew are, too. Some QM's'll refuse to equip us juss cuz we're cats. If ya don't mind me askin', what happened? I was in trainin' an' did some time in Sault Ste. Marie before getting clearance to join a team when y'all was up there. Right glad some of y'all made it back from tha Icebox alive. I'm SO-3 Tori. Don't think I caught yers." Tori was instantly contrite. Wounded warriors deserved all of her respect.

"Medkit? Hooya?! That's way cool. Hospital Corpsman Tori!"

She turned back to the QM. "Y'all got them here, or do I need to go to tha FOB's infirmary?"

The little cat loaded up on clips, replaced her arrows, and loaded up with explosives.

"Any thought 'bout our suggestion, Shep? Mebbe takin' a hover-jeep along this time? Tha elevated road beds are still gonna be available, even if the roads themselves are schwacked. Wif the hover capability, we kin ford streams, swamps and mud pits wifout even gittin tha fenders dirty. Plus Janx kin mount something big an' mean on top, like a Wellington GL20. They ain't real loud, they're fast, and they afford more protection than a fan-boat, too. Uh, no offense to Eve. 'Sides, I reckon it's got a seat fer everyone on tha team!"

[Takota]

Looking much like a kitten let loose in a toy store and told he can have anything he wants Takota browses the selection of weapons. Without a thought he takes a NG-45 knowing it is one of the best sidearms.

He continues to wander around looking at a few of the weapons he does not recognize. Looking at the CI-402 and CI-404 thinking something with a good burst pattern would be useful in some situations. Hefting the larger of the two Takota starts to have second thoughts. Lugging around that kind of weight in a swamp might not be the best idea. He looks over to the others for a bit of advice but he's already just about made up his mind to keep the weight he has to carry down. "What do you think? With bunches of critters against us something like this might be enjoyable."

Of course if he can find one the leopard will take a JA-12 over most other weapons.

[Janxi]

Janxi slapped the NG-45LP on her left hip. "Ah neva leave home wifout mine! Gift from mah mama."

She had a giggle at Tori. "Naw, yer thinkin of tha JA-11. Dat's tha swiss army rifle. I gots the 12, because it carves turkey! Good weapon, Tacky? If we start dressin' alike, people's gonna talk. 'Bout tha heavy shit? You got retard strength, silly! Tori's one tough cat, yeah, but she needs to travel light. I mean, I ain't arm-rassled you or nuthin, but I can hump close to a ton on mah back. A 90-pound P-beam might encumber Shep, but it ain't much for a kill-cat.

"On dat note, Shep... Yeah, I don't mind carrying no commo gear. T's now encumbered with her corpsman gear, an all. But between us, she's a bit better of an RTO (Radio-telephone operator). I can do the regular stuff wif comms, but she knows scramblin' an' such. But I'll hump it, if you and Six wanna be tha op-rator. Or... Is dere a chance we could rekka-zition an RTO?"

[Takota]

Takota chuckles when he hears Janxi's comment. "Yeah, we'll look like twins. Nobody will be able to tell us apart." he says obviously joking. "Besides, great minds think alike right?"

The leopard shoulders the sling for the CI-404, takes a couple of E-packs to go with it and five clips for the NG-45. He looks longingly at a spare rifle to bring along just in case. Having some kind of grenade launching capability would be nice and if they are travelling in a hover vehicle he could always leave it in there until needed. If it is available he will talk along a JA-12, seven long clips and twelve grenades. "A back-up just in case this complicated multi-barrel thing decides to jam up or something."

[Janxi]

"We had some squishies out in the swamp. I hate wastin' a laser shot on them if I don't gotta. T's got her shotgun, but all I had last time out was my bow." She gave Takota a nuzzle before selecting a Benelli M1014. "This here'll do a fine job."

She added a water-proof nylon carry case, cleaning kit, and a nylon sling. The stock was collapsible. She added a box of 30 shells, loading the weapon and adding the remaining shells to loops on the back scabbard. Then she slapped an ir/visible gunlight onto a rail on the slide. Cats have nightvision, but there was always a chance of working indoors in pitch black. "You should get something squishy-grade, too, just to avoid overkill."

She replaced her own explosives, adding some plastic, if there was any, and more det tape. "Yeah, ya'd better take a backup. Conditions are pretty rank out there, and a jam would be tough to fix. Some hand grenades are always handy, too. Don't forget vibroblades an' some regular blades, too. Me, I recommend a K-bar, but that's juss cuz I'm a marine."

[Takota]

If they have to deal with soft targets then, like Janxi, Takota would like a shotgun. Of course he still wants total overkill no matter what so he looks around for an AA-12 or something similar. If he finds one then he'll add in one drum for normal shells then three eight round boxes for HE-PA rounds, five with HE-FA rounds and a bandoleer to carry an extra twenty shotgun rounds. "I don't think I'll be able to carry enough ammo but if it comes down to using a shotgun I'll be quite happy to have this."

Thinking about a combat knife Takota remembers he no longer has the matched pair he had been carrying. He'd give one to each of the dogboys he had been working with just before he left. Knowing he'll not find a couple of knives like those he just takes one that looks good and rugged.

He's still got his armor so Takota finishes his shopping spree with a harness for carrying all the fun things someone in the field would want or need to carry along with a supply of hand grenades.

[Tori]

"Now Tacky? Don't ya go gettin' too crazy. Yer back may be strong enough to hump all dat gear, but it's gonna be clunkin' 'round. We kin stash some in a victor (vehicle), but even then, we got limits. Right now, yer humpin' three long guns, and yew got two shoulders. I relieved a few weapons in tha swamp, so it ain't like yer gon need be a one man arsenal. 'Sides, yer side-arm hits as hard as a C-12, we can make do fer a bit. Git yerself some vibroblades, too. We like claws, but git whatcha like best.

"Jan, see if you kin git some silver slugs for that scatter gun. Ain't likely we're gonna meet no vamps, but lycans ain't out of the runnin. Best be prepared."

Tori sniffed at Takota and furrowed her brow. "Hey shagcat? Kin yew sweeum? Yew smell kinda dry. No salt. No algae, an' no chlorine. Them smells tend to stick. Ya might need a PFD, too, cuz people tend to fall in tha water. You got your armor sealed, an' yew won't drown, but yew'll get stuck in tha mud somethin serious, 'specially wif all them guns."

[Takota]

Takota smiles and bumps into Tori as he moves past her. "Oh I was not planning on carrying ALL of this. I was hoping to leave some in any vehicle we would be in." he replies. "Besides with this contraption here ..." he swings the CI-404 into view, "... I am hoping I wont need anything else. I've got vambraces on my armor so I don't think I'll need another blade to carry"

He finds a place to set the equipment until it can be signed for before he answers the small cats question. "As for swimming I love it. In fact I was going to see if this place has a pool or something. It would be nice to swim in some clean water before slogging around in the muck out there."

[Mierin]

Sam crosses her arms under her chest and she glowers at her brother. "I thought you were dead! Do you have any idea how worried I was? And then I come here and find out you're just fine and not only that are engaged and have a kid?" Sam sighs, "It's been a lot to process."