Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles

The rumours are true...

... the Skinnies have joined the war effort.

Our former foes are now GI Joes, and our pan-galactic cause...

... has never seemed more worthy or attainable.

Sicon drill instructors are working double time...

... to teach these tall dogs new tricks.

Sure, they don't breathe oxygen, but they still put their bravery on ...

... one leg at a time.

And that means victory is just around the corner.

We must be looking around a different corner.

Lieutenant Razak, your call to Earth has gone through.

Hello, Gene.

General Redwing.

My, aren't we official tonight?

- This isn't a personal call. - No, not personal, personnel.

Barely a month ago, we were fighting against the Skinnies.

Now you expect our forces to about face and fight beside them?

They're allies, plain and simple.

Miriam, the timing of this could not be worse.

Given the state of the war, I'd have to disagree.

But this particular Skinnie...

The orders have been cut, Gene.

Deal with it.

Were you able to get me an update on special ops officer Carl Jenkins?

Sorry, Gene, there aren't enough strings in the world to pull info out of Intel.

He was one of ours!

They're all ours, Lieutenant.

Sir, yes, sir.

Redwing out. Goodbye, Gene.

In the Mobile Infantry, squads wore black armbands...

... to honour their fallen.

Our bands were grey because our lost Trooper was still alive.

C.J. Carl Jenkins.

On Tophet, Carl had used the last remnants of his mental powers...

... to destroy a Control Bug mistakenly set free during a scuffle...

... with a certain high-ranking Skinnie.

Carl's mind was completely shattered.

Intel quickly spirited him away...

... and a month had passed without a word regarding his condition.

Come on, show me something.

You're the one playing tag. Give me one with some mustard.

Watch it, Flores.

Officer on deck.

- At ease. - Any word?

Wrong question. Listen up.

With Jenkins gone, I'm told we're one Ape short.

So Sicon sent us a gibbon.

What?

- You got to be kidding. - A Skinnie?

In the Roughnecks?

That's the Skinnie that got Carl fried.

As you know, Skinnie technology does not include light-speed travel.

Those who wished to join the war effort had to enlist as Sicon recruits.

I'm aware you're used to being addressed as Colonel.

That rank no longer applies.

Gossard, set up a talk box for "Private" T'Phai.

It is not necessary.

I have studied your language.

Fine.

I would be proud to wear an armband honouring Trooper Jenkins.

Sorry, we're all out.

Unless you plan on pulling rank and taking mine, Colonel.

Get your cans in gear. We drop in 20.

Tesca Nemerosa, the only worthwhile real estate in the entire system.

A moon as big as the Earth, orbiting around the gas giant Tesca Four.

Sicon had determined that this lush jungle planetoid...

... was the breadbasket for the entire Bug empire.

All we had to do was take the thing and cut the Bugs off...

... from their food supply.

It was day 6 of the Nemerosa campaign...

... but Razak's Roughnecks were only just joining the fray.

We're being deployed as part of a large-scale assault...

...on the heavily-fortified western coastline.

How many parallels are we responsible for?

Just a strip of sand designated Zegema Beach.

Hey, Diz, Johnny, any news on Carl?

Nothing.

- You got any more of those? - Sure.

Prepare for launch.

Nice of Ibanez to ask about Jenkins.

Hey, the guy was a freak, but he was our freak.

At least he was human.

Delta Squad reports that Nemerosa packs a good old-fashioned oxygen atmosphere.

But it's an ocean drop.

So no one compromises suit integrity until we take that beach.

Man, I hate water ops.

My planet has very little water.

I am also apprehensive.

Whatever.

- Alpha Squad, prepare for insertion. - Roger, that's a go.

You're clear. Good luck, Roughnecks.

Live forever, Apes.

How long before the Bugs know we're here?

Not long.

Blue Leader, this is Alpha Team. Zegema's hot. Over.

Roger, Alpha. Big Dog will cool it down. Over.

We're hit.

Returning to Valley Forge immediately.

Ripplers at eleven o'clock.

Save it.

Taking it to the limit.

Fire good.

Kamikaze.

We'll march in from the seabed. Move out.

Big Dog should have left craters we can use as foxholes.

"Private" T'Phai, scout the beach for cover.

- Yes, sir. - Any backup, sir?

No.

Ripplers in the attic.

Open fire.

T'Phai to Alpha Leader.

Corridor to Foxhole 1 clear. Over.

Clear?

Move out.

You said the area was clear.

They teach you the meaning of the word "clear" on your backwoods planet?

Your orders were to scout, not to secure. Pay attention, Private.

Yes, sir.

Now or never, LT.

Come on, Apes, let's show the Colonel how it's done.

Stay back and cover us.

Rico, set up cover.

Higgins.

I'm okay. I'm okay.

How do you leave a man behind? You're supposed to be a soldier.

I apologise.

- It wasn't his fault. I was just... - Shut up, kid.

If the Skinnie wanted to help us he should've stayed with the Bugs.

- All right. - Drop it.

We've still got a beach to take.

That dirt pile is their fortress. We blow that and it's all over.

Marauders, seal up the exits.

I want a captive audience when the fireworks start.

Got it.

Everyone else, clear the Warriors from the beach.

Higgins, stay close to Flores.

He will.

Regroup at the foot of the mount. And watch each other's backs.

You don't want to mess with me today.

Delta and Echo have breached the northern shore.

Blue Leader wants to know what's taking us so long.

We're going up the mountain to blow its stack.

Lieutenant.

- You got a problem with that, Private? - Yes, sir, I do have a problem.

We'll talk about it after the mission.

You do not understand.

After the mission.

We need somebody to stay below and hold the beach.

I nominate the Colonel.

Private, keep the Bugs inside the anthill.

Everyone else, move.

Are we really going to try to do this a man short?

We were a man short when the day began.

Lieutenant, about T'Phai.

Change the subject, Higgins.

Sir, no, sir.

Any other day, you'd be on my case for lagging behind...

...or on the Sarge for just being the Sarge.

- Now everything's his fault? - It's not that simple.

An Ape's an Ape, LT. And you said it is that simple.

This is wrong. Very wrong.

Hold your position.

Repeat, hold your position.

Holding position, over.

- He's lost it. - He's not an Ape, he's a loon.

I'm out of here.

Wait.

He's going to get skewered.

- Higgins. - Flores, with me.

The rest of you, complete the mission.

This is the craziest morning.

My thanks.

We owed you.

Thirty seconds.

Take cover.

Blue Leader, this is Alpha Squad. Zegema Beach is ours.

Sweet.

You know, this is the first breath of non-recycled air...

...I've had since we left Earth.

I think this is what I was fighting for.

Where's the Colonel?

T'Phai?

Here.

Sorry you can't join in the breathing.

It is all right. I did not sign up to breathe.

The Hoppers, how'd you know?

I have spent four years fighting Bugs on my world.

Welcome to the Roughnecks, Colonel.

Yeah, if we've got to have a Skinnie, I'm glad you're the one we got.

If you think for one moment anything you've done today...

...makes up for the damage you did...

Rico, he just saved our butts. You can't ask for more than that.

I can. I can ask for him to be as good as the man he cost us.

As good a friend, and as good a human being.

And we all know he isn't that.

Day 23 of the Tesca Nemerosa campaign.

We were on recon in the jungle bordering Zegema Beach.

It was hot as Hades, but at least everyone could breathe the open air.

Everyone except Private T'Phai.

T'Phai was a methane-breathing Skinnie.