Asteroid Blues

The door of the common room/gym slides open.
“I’m back!” yells the Myrmidon, jumping in the doorway. He already took off his chestwear – showing his abs – but still wears his trousers and his helmet, though muffling his voice a bit.
“YES!” “There he is!” the other Myrmidons eating and doing workout cheer on the very side of their comrade. The two near the entrance change intensive high-fives with the helmet-guy and even one fist-bump. The atmosphere is positive excited. “How did the mission go? Where is Darios?” asks one with a massive dumbbell and a red head – smiling, because of the fun an excessive training session can be.
“Oh, he got shot down by a HMG. Swiss Guard.”
“Whaaaat!?” “No way!” The others laugh. Some shaking their heads, as if Darios did some minor nonsense, others even behave, as if he achieved something great. They nod their heads with restrained smiles and lift their eyebrows – impressed.

“But let me tell you from the start…” the halfnaked Myrmidon says. Lifting his helmet and taking a seat on a chair, the back of the chair to the front. “I even took some pictures…” he fiddles his smartphone out of his side pocket. The other Myrmidons coming together, taking chairs, leaving their workout machines behind. One quickly fills two bowls with crisps and hands them over to his fellows, then taking a seat by himself. They become quiet, the excitement stays…

“As you can see, I am on the left flank. I (chain rifle) had an enomotarchos with Machaon the “Lieutenant”, Eudoros (our Data Tracker) and Darios (combi rifle). We wanted to push forward get the left three antennas connected and kill the Wild Bill Imposter – because he was running some kind of safari-tours in the chimneys and that was meddling with our plans to control the MAZE.”

A seemingly younger Myrmidon says in awe: “Wow, are the others wearing silver armor?” “Ahem” the Myrmidon with the story shifts uncomfortably. “Well, not exactly… it is more the lighting in the maze. You know, at night everything appears grey…” Others nod. It seems as if this is a topic better to be avoided.

“I had time to take some pictures, because Teucer had to have all the fun up on his roof. He started his magic and shot down two total reaction remotes and a member of the now 4-man-fireteam of Bolts. Bonus points on him, because the Bolt was the Lt.!” The other members listen to the words with bright eyes. Every now and then expressing their comfort and excitement with “…so good!” “Fantastic” and “Oh, I wish I had been there.”
“Did Teucer get a beer on his way back home, because he knocked the other Lieutenant down?” the youngling asks. “No, they had chain of command.” The one with the cell phone in his hand replied.

“What’s with our Ajax?” the fledgling Myrmidon asks.
“Don’t ask.” The other ones say. One adds: “It’s a long story.”

“What’s with our Ajax?” the fledgling Myrmidon asks.
“Don’t ask.” The other ones say. One adds: “It’s a long story.”

“What’s with our Ajax?” the fledgling Myrmidon asks.
“Don’t ask.” The other ones say. One adds: “It’s a long story.”

“That one was especially hard, Machaon needed three tries! Without him, we wouldn’t have made it. No chance.”
“And he is such a good doctor.”
“Yes, and he can curse quite well, too.”
“Wish I had been there.”
“He even gave away, that he is our leader – twice. We had two reform accordingly. But – in the end he managed it! And “the end” being in Phase two!” - laughter.

“How do you manage to take these photos?” the Myrmidon who asks all the questions asks.
“Easy, I set the timer and hurl it up!” the young does not seem to be convinced, but the others support the explanation. “That’s how it’s done.”

“We knew, there were Shasvastii somewhere and we absolutely wanted to find them first, but the bolts were faster!”
“I like a good competition.” One with a mouthful of crisps uttered.
“True.” the storyteller agrees. “The first bolt (FO) touched the antenna and died on a mysterious “18”. Then the paramedic shifted over, and tried it, just to die on another “18”. We than knew – the shasvastii were part of the highes-kill-count-game. It was awesome! So many enemies – so much honour!.”

“Ajax and our Officer Cassandra did take the route directly towards the enemy to catch the Swiss Guard. He put a lot of pressure on our fireteam, you know – being TO and suppressive fire and so on. He killed Darios.”
“This is not a Swiss Guard, is it” the unexperienced Myrmidon said.
“It is. You must believe it.” the Myrmidon with the picture in hand said.
“Did Ajax kill him?” “No, he messed up the attack and got killed by a FO just shooting into the close combat.
“Nice move from PanO”
“Indeed, they gave us quite a fight. Wasn’t easy – was a lot of fun.”

“Teucer’s gun glowing from all the shots fired. The total reaction remote on the other side glowing from all the shots fired at it. It got repaired three times I guess…”
“Ajax already down, our Officer in close quarters with a CSU and Eudoros and me advanced at the advertisement thing. Machaon ran into the open and lured a shot by the FO at the stairs in front of us into his chest – and not Eudoros’ chest. This way he could shoot one time at the designated target. We barely made it up there and the sacrifice was well worth it!”
“Nice! Machaon is such a good leader!” one of the Myrmidons sitting in the crowd gathered around the smartphone yelled. The others burst in applause and gorilla-like grunts. Some even woohoo’d . Machaon is truly admired by those men.

“The hacker bolt in the upper right corner trying to get another antenna connected. Our Thorakites FO cleared the situation with his pathetic SMG. Man, I like those Thorakites – always having a hand, when you need one!”
“Thorakites rock!” approving grunts fill the room.
“Myrmidons rock!” the Myrmidons start cheering.
During the “debriefing” some of the fighters had taken some beers out of a fridge near the “butterfly” – a machine to strengthen the chest and upper back. A party was about to begin…

Steel Phalanx 6 OP
Neoterry 2 OP