The Trojan Soldier

The Mission

Indian Ocean, Somewhere in the Sky

            "Target is a mobile satellite launch platform, The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when the pirates took them, 93 minutes ago." says Rumlow.

            "Any demands?" someone asked.

            "Billion and a half."

            "Why so steep?" Achilles asks.

            "Because it's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s." replied the commander.

            "So it's not off-course." says Achilles. "It's trespassing."

            "I'm sure they have a good reason." Briseis counters.

            "You know I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor." 

            "Relax, it's not complicated." Briseis says.

            "How many pirates?" questions Achilles.

             Their commander answers. "25. Top mercs led by this guy." He messes with the computer screen. "George Batroc. Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had 36 kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

            "Hostages?" Achilles questions.

            "Oh, mostly techs. One officer." He messes with the screen again. "Jasper Sitwell."

            "They're in the galley." says Achilles.

            "What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?" Briseis wonders out loud.

            Achilles speaks up, "All right, I'm going to sweep the deck and find Batroc. Rumlow, (He's keeping his name) you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get them out. Let's move.

           "S.T.R.I.K.E., you heard the Cap. Gear up.

           The plane starts descending quickly while everyone grabs their gear.

           "Secure channel seven." Achilles says into his com.

           "Seven secure." responds Briseis.

           "Did you do anything fun Saturday night?" Briseis asks Achilles.

           "Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so, no, not really." replies Achilles sarcastically.

           The pilot comes over the intercom. "Coming up on the drop zone, Cap."

           "You know if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, she'd probably say yes."  teased Briseis mockingly.

           "That's why I don't ask." Achilles says, putting on his helmet.

           "Too shy or too scared?" Briseis calls at him.

           Achilles walks out on the jumping area. "Too busy!" he calls.

           He then proceeds to jump out of the plane.

           "Was he wearing a parachute?" someone asks.

           Rumlow laughs. "No. No he wasn't."

           Achilles falls through the air quickly, and changes his position as he's falling. He uses standard plane-jumping formation until he nears the water, when he quickly points his feet and brings his arms up to his chest. He reemerges, and begins climbing up the side of the ship, using one of the chains as a rope.