WCGW Chpt 173

<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
==Chapter 173 - What Could Go Wrong==
----
Onverwacht (Former Outworld System)
16th October, 3044
----
It took a short hike near a fairly large lake. Some of the "recruits" pulled brush away from a trench that had been dug revealing a obvious metal plate. Chief Warrant Officer Harry Caldwell pulled a small hammer out and hit it. He brushed away some fine dirt on the side and revealed signs of reentry. "Dropship, small craft, or Aerospace Fighter. No way to tell the type or condition until we reveal more of it."
"Then we get Captain Perry up here with his engineers and dig it out." Major General David Mitchell said
-----
17th October, 3044
-----
It had taken 6 hours for the engineers to arrive with all their equipment. No time was wasted in clearing the overburden revealing a Triumph Class Dropship that had seen better days. It's landing gear was bent at an angle and one side had all the paint blistered off of it. Large chunks of tarmac had been pulled out during the excavation. Captain Timothy Perry watched the final excavation work before saying "Triumph. Something blew the crap out of it. But it is intact, but the landing gear is bent horribly. Crash landing or failed take off maybe.
With no power, it took another 3 hours for cutting torches to cut their way thru the main door. It was mid-day before Chief Warrant Officer Harry Caldwell and several engineers entered the Dropship.
After several minutes, they emerged. Even from a distance Major General Mitchell recognized the looks on the faces he said "Remains. Let's get work parties started on building coffins and get graves dug. Colonel Dortman, please locate a suitable place for a cemetery. Nothing else happens until they are properly buried."
-----
20th October, 3044
----
It had been a long two days removing, identifying when possible and burying the remains of the passengers and crew of the Triumph Class Dropship. A party of engineers were laser etching names on pieces of armor plate that would act as headstones for those identified. A local priest said a prayer over the fallen as a rifle salute was fired in their honor. Then it was back to work.
"For a SLDF unit, it is the most hodge podge collection of tanks I ever seen. Maybe last survivors of units trying to make an escape. Who knows, but here is the list of what is onboard. Most never seen before, but we found the manufacture tags to identify them. He handed over the clipboard.
----
Triumph Dropship's Inventory
13x Thor Artillery
8x Demon Tank (Royal)
5x Pollux ADA Heavy Tank
9x Von Luckner (Royal)
3x Fury Command Tank (Royal)
8x Fury Command Tank (Standard)
-----
"The Von Luckner is the only one I have ever heard of, though the Royal tag means it's special. Let's get them unloaded and loaded back onboard our Dropships. We will figure out what we actually have once we get back to Thazi." Major General Mitchell said
----
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
173