Sounds fill the air down a dark corridor. Echos of light reflect off the steel alloy holding the tether in place. The station wasn't holding it's own, and the following connecting corridor was scheduled to fail. Four men cut off from the rest desperately hold their own from an incoming volley of fire. A Slavic man sounded off, with a smirk on his lips. "Even with my hand, I can still work a door better than you with a woman, ey'Jimmy?!" His eyes glanced to the burned mess that was his hand. Nails peeling off from under the singed glove. Only to cause him to wince, as his left hand was twisting wires along the door mainframe.
A few rounds crossed the door above Jeser, as a returning volley echoed back towards the hostilities. Jim popped from cover, resting a poorly rigged L6-SAW bi-pod over a barricade. Initially grunting from the rattling the metal feet emitted as it rammed against the barricade. Picking up from where Jeser left off in an irritated mutter "Y-yea yeah! Maybe next time we don't weld the le-" He soon unshouldered the L6, ducking under the barricade as a muffled 'THUD' was heard. Drops of incendiary magnesium falling over the cover as the L6 collapses onto Jim. The buttstock hitting the back of his helmet.
Jeser collapsed to the floor for a short moment. Xur wrenching Jeser back to the closed door, almost slamming him against it. He then pointed over to Mike, his eyes squinting towards the Mexican Texan. "Take the gun and shoot!" He yelled, waving his hand over, as the Mexican reached for the L6, pulling it to his side. The welded bi-pod wacking Jim in the back of the neck. Only causing him to fall the inch back down to the cold steel floor.
Mike cared not for the woes he caused his comrade. Only to prop the L6 back up, like Jim before. Firing down range towards the hostilities. "Ey, you call thiss'a suitable fuckin' stand! I know for damn sure Mark's handled better legs than this!" A round quickly ricocheted against the side of the L6. Cutting the belt off, with only six rounds to spare. The weapon emitting steam from the end of its red muzzle, as the rounds subside.
Xur watched the men in his squad scurry to cover time after time, when an onslaught of rounds pepper the walls behind them. Few ricocheting to nowhere. Jeser looked up to the door after the recent fire, as Xur yanked out another magazine for his M41A Pulse Rifle. A sigh escaping his mouth, soon after taking a puff from a cigarette.
Jes soon got his ass up, and back on the door. Manipulating it with his one good hand, he snipped the correct wire, as a fizzle soon started to occur. The door followed with a hiss, as the pistons were wrenched open with a crowbar. Jesser leaning his entire weight into the damn thing.
Once the door opened, Xur leaned from his covor blowing through thrity rounds with a singular pull of the trigger as to halt enemy fire. Once ceased, Mike turned back to the door. A hand pushing Jeser through it, Mike obviously trying to keep the engineer out of harms way. "Keep it moving, yeah!? We got another set of doors to go!"
Once the two were through the door, Xur fired off another thirty rounds. Just enough time for Jim to get on a knee. Pulling out a black Browning Hi-power, giving the soldiers down range a magazine of 9mm. Jim then gave a nod to Xur, Xur responding in kind. Both turned back down the teather to notice three figures moving forward. Bulky, and big men clad in what looks to be a reinforced white plated armor. Two stood back, as the one in the center stepped forward. A burst of fire soon coming down, missing the two by mere feet. Jim quickly lurched back, from Xur pulling at the boy's armor. Wrenching the two of them through the door.
Once Xur shoved the young marine through the door, his fist slammed against a red button off to the side of the door, an airlock slamming shut, as an exterior plating to if the door would have been closed. A gentle hiss followed through, as the seal being air tight, and ready for any form of breach to follow.
Jeser soon pulled out a welding tool only for him to wince in pain, causing his good arm with the welder to flinch. The tool in question sliding across the metal panelling. A sigh then escaped Mike's mouth, pointing to Jim who was pulling a few straps on his armor. The young Private First Class nodded, moving over and picking the tool up.
Jim pressed his left hand on the door for a short moment, a slight shudder soon followed the man as the welder lit up with a gentle wheeze. Jim waited for a short moment, as the tool in hand heated up.
Xur stepped back, watching his team regain their composure. This borlic dark skinned staff sergeant keeping his head over the men who were under him. His eyes turned to Jim as the younger blond male was working a welder against the auxiliary airlock. Xur's lips parted, as his voice picked up. "Jim, give that ancient piece of crap to Jeser, and have him toss you his rifle."
Jeser, and Jim both exchanged glances towards eachother. Both of them responded to Xur with a chuckle, as Jeser then turned to Jim who was kneeled down finishing up the weld job. The Airlock that was once simply doing it's job, was now a sturdy fortification to buy the four men a few minutes of respite. Time for the Private and Lance Corporal to swap arms.
Jeser took the sidearm into hand, inspecting it over, testing the grip. His eyes caught the slide which had four notches on it. The entire pistol in question had a black finish, except for the silver barrel visible under the slide.
Jim soon followed suit, looking over the given rifle. The rifle in comparison to the sidearm was much up to spec. Clean, no personal markings of any kind. Except for a small sticker of the Ukrainian flag nearing the stock of the rifle.
A quick exchange of ammunition followed. Jeser taking the four spare magazines for the sidearm, and Jim taking the three spare for the rifle. Jim then handed back the welding tool, his other hand clutching at the back of his neck, before turning to Xur. "It may be old, but it hasn't jammed yet."
Xur shook his head in response to Jim, his eyes piercing at Jeser. A crude face on Xur spoke miles towards this Slavic engineer, the Squad Lead's tongue pressing against his own cheek. His head bobbing as he spoke. "Those wires must have been rigged. You ain't the type to fuck up that royally."
Jeser quickly shook his head in response, setting the welder to his tool belt with ease. Soon holding his wrist that connects to the mangled hand. "Wasn't my fault, Xur. Luckily Kanaga was able to take up the rest of the job.."
Mike peered up from the ground, taking a deep breath. His eyes soon widened at the thought that crossed their minds. "W-where the fuck is Kanaga, and the rest anyway?" His head jerked over to Xur, his head soon jerking into a tilt.
Jeser then rested three fingers against his brow, eyes squinting as his hand pulses in pain. "W-wherever they are I sure fucking hope Mark, or Nikolatz can get this hand in order.." Jeser then slumped forward, shoulders testing lazily at his sides. The pain only an afterthought at the current time.
"Handford'll just spit on it and give you a whiskey kiss." Said the native Texican from off to the side, as he peers through a reinforced glass window to an adjacent room. His eyes lit up for a short moment as the other three, yes even Jesser. Manage to stifle out chuckles.
The room in question lead off to a minor security checkpoint that brought people into the residential area of the station. The station may have been partially abandoned, but there is a civilian issue to be weary of. Mike shot a glance back at Xur, motioning for the lead to move forward. While yes, they could hide among the population. The risk was too high, because the PMCs in question are the shoot first, ask questions later type of envolvment.
There was a second door onward that lead into the security checkpoint, with red markings indicating it's access. A second bland grey door saw along the same wall, sitting on the other side of the reinforced glass. The only way through would to be to hack either door, but before Jeser could offer such services. Xur, and Mike started beating at the door with the butts of their rifles. The glass only ricocheting their attempts.
Xur spun his rifle around, forcing the barrel against the glass in several repetative motions, as he spoke up, inbetween his grunts. "You...Fuckers...Can..Wait!" With each ricochet, pieces of glass started to chip off from the window. Mike soon caught on, flipping the barrel of his rifle forward., ollowing the actions of Xur. With their combied forces, the reinforced window was struggling to keep the two marines off.
Jim motioned his hand to Jeser, requesting the engineer's attention. Both look on at the airlock they previously passed. The motors grinding against eachother as it tries to force itself open. Hazzard lights blinking an ill-boding yellow. A gentle hiss soon being heard as the first emergency shutter was being forced open.
Jeser soon glanced back over his shoulder, but just before his mouth opened. A tug on his belt jerked him back forward, his eyes staring at Jim with a welding tool. "You better not be trying to get in my pa-" He then loon went quiet, as the airlock that was welded started to scratch and cry. A welding tool on the other side attepting to get through.
Jim knew time was soon running out, and against better judgment; flicked the welding tool on, as if he were attempting to weld the door shut from the top while the goons on the other side were near the bottom. Jeser looked on, dumbfounded. Only to seconds later give the young marine a firm nod, while unholstering the side-arm given to him. Jeser glanced down to the piece one last time, checking a few stances where he could fire with the irritation of his mangled hand. His left hand wasn't steady, but resting his left wrist along his right cleared up the waving. While still shakey, one could assume his shots are going in the right direction.
The bashing of the reinforced window was rythmic, as it was annoying. Battering a window that is now only showing signs atrophy. Cracks lined up and down the clear reinforced pane causing the reverberations to ensure faster breakage and enterance to the room. Though there was still some fight left in the obstruction in their way, even with two tough statured marines battering at it. Regardless it broke after a tedious workout. Xur and Mike hurdling over the archway for the window, the darker of the two kneeling to the door and scanning around the secluded room.
Jeser huffed. Taking his jolly time to mount over the same archway, instantly pointing to the Area Power Controller, or APC for short. WIth a quick nod to Mike, the man took to laying a two round burst into the APC with a minor sparking in return and the sound of a light electric discharge as the checkpoint started to dim as did the power to the door. And with the advantage of inititive, a prybar lodged into the door. Xur's entire weight leaning into it waiting for the motors of the door to stop resisting. His voice piping with minor strain to it, "Kiddo, you really wanna get beat! Fuckign with that door any longer and they'll blow it."
Jim waved a hand in response to Xur's remark, throwing the Welder into a small pouch around his armor. And like that the young marine spun on a heel to the Archway with rifle in hand, and arm already on the shattered glass surrounding the area. The door soon gaveway with little resistance giving the marines a passage to what one would assume to be hallways upon hallways of living quarters. Unknown to them, it'd be even more tedium on this operation. The group of four started to funnel back and into the corridors. Closed doors trailing in different directions with no invitation to enter any of them.