Underdogs

[Ethan Talon]

Dougal smirked, "Aye lass, the pipes an drums will do, and Murphy's fife and drum corps can be just as obnoxious."

Ethan shook his head, "Just rifles, and canteens. Once we get to the grounds we can change into our field uniforms, and get into full kit. But, that reminds me let's make sure all the rifles are training rifles. I don't want anyone walking away from this exercise with anything more than a headache."

[Kalia Lei]

"We can make sure that happens, our field medics do seem to get pissy when people get serious injuries during training. Like those three 'choppers' that crashed during training. Seriously, who the frak taught them to fly?" Kalia rolled her eyes. "Anything powered up more than a level 2 stun setting or a rubber round is not getting used. Anything over that, then whoever did it, is put up on charges. And I LOVE putting people up on charges that try to hurt people intentionally... I'm all for public humiliation. One of my guys put a live slug round into another officer, nearly blew his hand off. I had him perp walked to the brig... and I may have given every one of the guys in his unit a paintball gun to fire at his stupid ass."

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan smirked, "Then let's call it a day. The beauty of being militia is that we are volunteers and can set our schedules. Let's spend time with out families, and relax. The next two days aren't going to be fun."

[Kalia Lei]

"Yeah... have some fun tonight with Trinity." Kalia whispered. "My brother and his wife are probably going to comm me tonight, they're still touring around Imperium space, trying to ensure that the other colonies aren't trying to rekindle the war. Not with Dominus as our big concern."

[Ethan Talon]

"Well, we'll take things one at a time," Ethan said. "And events like the Imperium rising is why General Mattis formed the Militia Corps. It's an insurance against the unpredictable. We ain't front line troops, and nor should we be, but I can't shake this uneasy feeling that we'll be in the thick of things sooner than we'd like."

[Kalia Lei]

"That's the only way you guys won against the Imperium, you didn't get complacent. Imperium did. Have to be ready for anything at any time." Kalia said and crossed her arms. "Wargames today may be active combat tomorrow. Still, I hope it doesn't come to that so soon... nothing would please me more than to see Dominus handled by Fleet his sadistic ass sent back through whatever rift he came out of."

[Ethan Talon]

"I wouldn't wish Dominus on my worst enemy," Ethan said dryly. "Best send him to hell where he belongs."

[Kalia Lei]

"Then it's a good thing you've got me as your XO now..." Kalia replied. "We're not only go to win these war games, but we're going to get the men ready for their next encounter with Dominus, you... we lost too many good men when we lost Sigma station. Need to change up our tactics, be a little less... nice. We're Marines. First in, last out."

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan nodded, "Playing nice is for the Navy. It's our job to break things, and the Navy to follow behind us and clean up after us." Ethan stood, "Ladies and gentlemen, you are dismissed. I will see you all in the morning."

[Ethan Talon]

The next morning found Ethan yawning and cradling his coffee cup as the sun poked over the eastern horizon. The troops... his troops were trickling in.

David, instead of using his unit's hover skiffs he opted to have his men and women bring horses. Most of them were ranch hands and felt more comfortable in the saddle, but 200 horses were not discreet. And the archaic uniforms he'd chosen for the 18th had caught on, and 69th had adopted a similar style. It looked like Dances with Wolves here. Complete with the Indian braves, who of course adopted their traditional dress. Absently Ethan wondered if General Mattis would regret letting the regimental Commanders choose their own dress uniforms... He certainly regretted letting them know.