"Pull up, pull up!"

"I can't! Too much turbulence! Lu, where's a clear spot to level out?"

"Calculating... you should have a clearing right about... now."

The pelican stopped shaking and gradually leveled out until the sound of the engines filed the cabin.

"Haha! Turbulence isn't any match for the best pilot in the UNSC!"

"Oh keep it down Jessie. If Lu wern't here you would've missed that spot."

Jessie waved a dismive hand at her co-pilot. "Whatever Rachel, just don't get dirty."

"You know some of us ladies have class and style!" Rachel replied while holding her head high.

"Hehe, keep telling yourself that."

A few minutes passed by where no one said anything and the air outside the glass canoppy was beginning to fog.

"Turning on thermal scans." Jessie announced to no one in particular. A screen to her left tirned on and it filled with a mixtures of blues and purples. "Things are going to be cold. I'm getting cold signatures all over the place. Lu, wheres a good place to touch down?"

Lu appeared on a holopad and smiled. "Certainly. There is a clearing half a click from here."

"Got it."

The pelican raced forward towards its destination. About three minutes later Jessie landed the pelican in a small clearing just big enough for the bulky bird. Every one unstrapped and piled out of the pelican, scanning the thick foliage around them. They were surrounded by trees that stood about as tall as a three story building, and their leave about the size of a human. They have a dark muddy-green color to them.

"Eww, just look at this place! Absolutely filthy!" Rachel complained, shaking off some "forest goo", as she called it, from her boot.

The thick clump of moss landed next to Jessie and she looked up at Rachel. "If you're so afraid of getting dirty then why did you join the marines?"

"I didn't join, my parents forced me into it."

"Oh that's terrible!" the quiet girl exclaimed as she looked over at the two. Her blond and pink her is bond into a ponytail and it stuck out slightly from her helmet. Her eyes had a soft worry to them as Rachel made eye contact.

"It's quiet alright, darling. But Penny, you know I do enjoy the job. Those brutes are ruining everything and I enjoy watching them fall before my boot!" she replied in a harsh whisper.

All four of the looked at Rachel with concern. She gave them a sheepish smile before turning back to scanning the forest. "Ugh, when are going to go? I'm tired of sitting in this... goo."

"Umm, Rachel?" Penny called in a small whisper. "That's not goo. It's moss."

Rachel looked down at it couriously before turning back to Penny. "Then why is it all mushy?"

"I think it rained." Penny replied kindly.

Rachel nodded before looking over at one of the others who was kneeling with an assault rifle in there hands. "Samantha, darling, you've been quiet."

"Yeah. You haven't said a thing since we left." said a woman who had Auburn stamped on her helmet. You couldn't see her sand colored hair under the helmet or most of her dark tan. Her accent had a southern color to it.

Samantha didn't look up or even glance their way. "Sorry, something just feels off about this mission. If they wanted to find out if the planet is suitable they should have just scanned an area and set up one of those research facilities."

"Samantha's right. We should probably get going." Jessie suggested as she stood up and peered into the forest."Everyone on me!"

Everyone stood and filled behind Jessie before trudging their way into the thick overgrowth. They slowly made their way through until Jessie stopped them. "Something's moving."

No one moved but watched the motion trackers in the bottom left of their tatical eye piece. A red dot moved around at the edge of the trackers before it began to move closer. Jessie held up a fist and no one moved. Thy waited for what seemed like forever until the dot stopped at the five meter line before disappearing.

Jessie held her fist up for another thirty sconds before pulling it down and took a step forward. Instantly the red dot reappeared and Jessie turned to face a mass of brown striking her down. A deep roar sent chills down her back as she frantically searched for her rifle. Jessie felt herself getting hit in the chest and sent flying another three feet. A moment later the sound of assault rifles going off pierced the air and the sound of an animal in pain.

"Jessie! Are you alright darling?"

Jessie got back to her feet with a grunt. "Yeah... I'm alright."

The others quickly rushed to her side and made sure she was okay. "Darling you're a mess! Look at how dirty your armor is!"

"Glrad to see you too Rachel!" Jessie said taking Rachel in a hug getting mud all over her.

"Ahh! My armor!"

Jessie chuckled to herself and took the assault rifle Penny offered her. "Thanks Penny. Damn wildlife hates me!" Jessie took a step forward and felt the ground give way. The dirt crumbled and rolled downward taking Jessie with it. The slide lasted five seconds before she stopped.

"Jessie?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm alright. You gals should see this!" Jessie called back. A moment later the other slid down one at a time and stared at what they saw. "Heh, so much for scouting."

Author's Note

Character names really held me up on this chapter. I sat for hours trying to fit names with them. I've also been working on a chapter for a different story as well but I hope you guys like this.