TALL TALES

[Grier]

Meanwhile the drones took soil samples and once a giant worm surfaced biting down on a drone and swallowing it whole before diving back underground again. Because the swallowed Drone still had some functionality Perderson got the Marine Drone operator to do a bioscan of the creature it was inside of, 'before its digestive juices dissolve it?'
'It's made of Titanium Dr Pederson' said Marine Coporal Wong, "it's a hard meal to digest and I'm still faintly recording its position and some of uts functions. if that helps... ? I could still make it explode if you want?"
" No, No, Yes, No" said Pederson, "Just keep tracking it and recording its movements please Cpr Wong, and well done!"

With bio scan data of the giant Worm sent and shared Scientists were in a frenzy of speculations. Professor Webkes too sending his own Drone closer to the surface.
"Not too close please Sir" said Sgt Turnbull.
Peter said "I think I just saw a flying Ant with something on its back".

 

[Richie]

Richie Wellham was astounded when he heard about his colleagues discovery at Valles Marineris, which he has long envisioned as one of Mars most mysterious regions. But giant insects inhabiting it was not what he had imagined and it was certainly an eye opener too for Frida and Heinrick.

Pedersen to Wellham: Richie that place is amazing with the wide variety of creatures and not only insects as we also a variety of animals. WE photographed them and they are presently being processed,

Webke: These creatures have suffered giagantism I suspect Richie from generations of lite radiation and the logical reason why the Martians were forced to go sub terranean.
I'd not be surprised to find some prehistoric creatures here on Mars too tho our rovers have never photographed any.

Wellham: Then again they have never surveyed the Valles Marianaris region as it was viewed as too inaccessible. I have often told my Australian colleagues that it could sustain life, my wife, also an astro physicist agrees with me. She will be excited when I tell her. So will my good friend at the Australian Museum...

Did the flying creatures show any hostility towards your drones?

 

[Richie]

Meanwhile the drones took soil samples and once a giant worm surfaced biting down on a drone and swallowing it whole before diving back underground again. Because the swallowed Drone still had some functionality Perderson got the Marine Drone operator to do a bioscan of the creature it was inside of, 'before its digestive juices dissolve it?'
'It's made of Titanium Dr Pederson' said Marine Coporal Wong, "it's a hard meal to digest and I'm still faintly recording its position and some of uts functions. if that helps... ? I could still make it explode if you want?"
" No, No, Yes, No" said Pederson, "Just keep tracking it and recording its movements please Cpr Wong, and well done!"

With bio scan data of the giant Worm sent and shared Scientists were in a frenzy of speculations. Professor Webkes too sending his own Drone closer to the surface.
"Not too close please Sir" said Sgt Turnbull.
Peter said "I think I just saw a flying Ant with something on its back".

Crap I missed this post. Can we keep to a single post please Terry.
This answers Wellhams question over whether the creatures were hostile.

 

[Grier]

Great picture Craig.

Lieutenant Ley and her medics were frantically trying to stabilise and treat the wounded Marines, some even with limbs blown off, or nearly. Others worse. It was a grim business she knew from being in Afghanistan. She knew Cpr Blunt from there, and Warburton and now Mars.
It was nice to have familiar faces about in these times.
She greatly appreciated Blunt sorting out the details and commands to the Medic crew, as Doctor Ley herself saved lives.
On his way back to the Medic base after pulling out a wounded Marine, dragging him in tow, Snr Medic Taylor's head exploded in a red spray, still holding onto the badly wounded and blood splattered Marine.

Colonel Wallace tried various tactics like using concussion grenades, flash bangs and capsicum sprays.
The flash-bang grenades had a telling toil on the Martian Bugs, especially in the tight tunnels.

 

[Richie]

Tex Dunning assembled a squadron of Darts and two of drones and headed his team to Valles Marianias where he had a date with some giant Martian worms. His second and third in charge were fellow Australian, Flite Captain Dickie Roles and Swedish FC Astrid Lindstrum. Roles was stocky with a wicked sense of humor while Lindstrum, like many Scandinavians, was serious and always in control, much like Dunning himself, who had personally selected the pair as his wing men after serving with them on previous FWSF missions.. His old mate Sgt Wally Turnball was also with the squadron...

 

[Grier]

When news that Col Dunning was headed towards the Valles Marianias with a squadron of Darts and two squadrons of Drones reached Peter and the other Scientists there was concern.
Soon after Peter spoke to Col Dunning on behalf of other Scientists.

"Colonel Dunning, Peter Spring here. I was asked to speak to you on behalf of some concerned Scientists about the importance of just observing the vast and incredible life forms in this rarest of jewels, the Valles Marianias, for now. I'm not a Biologist but those with that bent communicated that sentiment to me asked I convey their concern to you...
I'm better with Sediments.
Of course there are many unknowns including the presence of sentient Martians known as 'Bugs' which may well be belligerent. To that end, your Darts and Drones would be a welcome presence as surveying the region could give away our presence. More Drones from you would greatly help scry the biggest Canyon in our Solar System, to further unlock its mysteries.

That it itself might flush out some Sentient Bugs advanced or not? I did see a flying giant Ant with something on its back. Cleaning up and analysing my Drone's footage I suspect the giant Ant was ridden by a type of Bug, possibly with a bow of all things? 'Bug' being a base name for Mars' highest life form but Samark seems what captive Martians called themselves.

 

[Richie]

"Colonel Dunning, Peter Spring here. I was asked to speak to you on behalf of some concerned Scientists about the importance of just observing the vast and incredible life forms in this rarest of jewels, the Valles Marianias, for now. I'm not a Biologist but those with that bent communicated that sentiment to me asked I convey their concern to you...

Tex please Peter. Very well I will take you boffins advice and only reconnoiter this massive rock formation. But if I see any hostile Bugs, Samark or giant worms I will engage them. Dunnings mood changed immediately saying he was being surrounded by what looked like giant prehistoric Pteredactal birds the size of a Dart. I will try to scare them away rather than kill them. I am also spotting armed Bugs on the backs of giant flying insect creatures. Sweet Jesus five of those disc shaped Martian craft have just appeared from a mountain crevice and are now attacking us. We have the entire Martian box and dice coming at us Peter. I am now patching thru to HQ for reinforcements. Over and Out...

 

[Grier]

Tex please Peter. Very well I will take you boffins advice and only reconnoiter this massive rock formation. But if I see any hostile Bugs, Samark or giant worms I will engage them. Dunnings mood changed immediately saying he was being surrounded by what looked like giant prehistoric Pteredactal birds the size of a Dart. I will try to scare them away rather than kill them. I am also spotting armed Bugs on the backs of giant flying insect creatures. Sweet Jesus five of those disc shaped Martian craft have just appeared from a mountain crevice and are now attacking us. We have the entire Martian box and dice coming at us Peter. I am now patching thru to HQ for reinforcements. Over and Out...

"Tex it is Colonel, call me Peter.

Even those Giant Bat like Pterodactyls prefer not going too high in the Canyon where the atmosphere is too thin for them.
Good luck about scaring them off. Maybe lets try other ways like strobbing sonic and light blasts. That gives me brain fade !,.?¿ Rap music even but that's a bit cruel.

You too saw some Martian Bugs aka the Samark or Samarkians astride giant flying Ants, and carrying weapons but more primative like bows and long spears on a closer look. That's not Laser rifles which is very interesting".

Hearing from Col Tex Dunning that 5 Martian disc space craft were coming at them Sgt Turnbull put his five exploration Darts and Drones at Col Dunnings command.

 

[Richie]

Dickie Roles was the first to take down one of the Martian craft while Turnball turned his attention to the flying insects obliterating several, ants he figured they were but there were also giant wasps or hornets even some that looked like praying mantis. FC Astrid Lindstrum engaged another ship and with a withering burst of electromagnetic pulse it disintegrated into a thousand pieces. More craft appeared from rock crevices but these were not the usual discs but more cigar shaped. Dunning had them in his sites and fired on the leading one. His pulse only caused minimal damage to its fusilage. Sweet Jesus these have a different protective shield, he said out loud. Every one return to base, I repeat Darts and drones return to base!...

 

[Grier]

Dickie Roles was the first to take down one of the Martian craft while Turnball turned his attention to the flying insects obliterating several, ants he figured they were but there were also giant wasps or hornets even some that looked like praying mantis. FC Astrid Lindstrum engaged another ship and with a withering burst of electromagnetic pulse it disintegrated into a thousand pieces. More craft appeared from rock crevices but these were not the usual discs but more cigar shaped. Dunning had them in his sites and fired on the leading one. His pulse only caused minimal damage to its fusilage. Sweet Jesus these have a different protective shield, he said out loud. Every one return to base, I repeat Darts and drones return to base!...

Staff Sgt Turnbull called to his half platoon of 5 Darts and Drones yelling "Stay in loose formation people and let's bugga off outa' here! Follow me and the pack. New shield tech stuff imo. No worries, Professor Wellham will figure it out. Drop smoke and chaff at the ready."

Turnbull and Spring, with lots of other minds and Scientists had kept their 5 Darts 20 km above the surface of the Grandest Canyon of all, the Valles Marianias. Now they and their Drones were ordered to flee the Canyon. Some Drones were hid in the 11km high walls of the Gorge, to sit quietly and observe with their camouflage abilities the incredible abundance of Life before them ... and the Samark presence.

 

[Richie]

Tex please Peter. Very well I will take you boffins advice and only reconnoiter this massive rock formation. But if I see any hostile Bugs, Samark or giant worms I will engage them. Dunnings mood changed immediately saying he was being surrounded by what looked like giant prehistoric Pteredactyl birds the size of a Dart. I will try to scare them away rather than kill them. I am also spotting armed Bugs on the backs of giant flying insect creatures. Sweet Jesus five of those disc shaped Martian craft have just appeared from a mountain crevice and are now attacking us. We have the entire Martian box and dice coming at us Peter. I am now patching thru to HQ for reinforcements. Over and Out...

View attachment 3848

Staff Sgt Turnbull called to his half platoon of 5 Darts and Drones yelling "Stay in loose formation people and let's bugga off outa' here! Follow me and the pack. New shield tech stuff imo. No worries, Professor Wellham will figure it out. Drop smoke and chaff at the ready."

Turnbull and Spring, with lots of other minds and Scientists had kept their 5 Darts 20 km above the surface of the Grandest Canyon of all, the Valles Marianias. Now they and their Drones were ordered to flee the Canyon. Some Drones were hid in the 11km high walls of the Gorge, to sit quietly and observe with their camouflage abilities the incredible abundance of Life before them ... and the Samark presence.

To be continued:

 

[Grier]

Great Picture Craig,



I downloaded it.

 

[Grier]

Colonel Wallace tried various tactics like using concussion grenades, flash bangs and capsicum sprays.
The flash-bang grenades had a telling toil on the Martian Bugs, especially in the dark tight tunnels.

"They really don't like those Bright lights Cononel" said Ahmed one of his Captains. "They're weak physically as our grenades demonstrated. Even just a rifle butt does them in. Weak as piss. They wore laser reflecting suits which helped them, and then I saw Medic Cpr Blunt rescuing a wounded Marine wearing a thermal blanket as a cloak, silver side out.
I reckon bullets can tear through reflective armour with ease.

Wallace had his sappers plant defensive mines about the underground region they had cleared out, and also sent out Maries to scout ahead.

One group of 6 scouts sensed dim light ahead and went quietly ahead with Cpr Roberts sneaking ahead as point.
Waving on the group they entered a large Cavern with giant glowing mushrooms.