Gears of War: Rising Scions Chapter 1 - Scouting Timgad Valley

Gears of War: Rising Scions Chapter 1 is the first chapter of Gears of War: Rising Scions and serves as the initial event of the Lightmass Offensive.

"That mission cost us, but in the end, it was worth it."

- Sgt. Briggs' inner thoughts.

Jacinto Med.
"You okay, rook?" The hulking giant known as Wilfred asked. He was leaning against the framework of the entranceway, effectively blocking it off.

Gary Henderson, the target of Wilfred's concern, lay in a hospital bed with several bandages wrapped around his head, right shoulder and chest area. He had sustained injuries during the evacuation of Midnight Squad during Operation: Midnight a little while back. Stray fire had hit their inbound Raven, puncturing the young privates’ right shoulder. He had concussed himself falling from his seat and had only managed to stay in the Raven because of the giant inquiring after his health. Gary was a relatively tall young man for his late teenage years and sported a Mohawk-style haircut colored black, with the sides shaved. Right now he wore nothing more than a hospital robe.

"I've been cleared for duty. Looks like I'll be joining you boys for the next offensive." Gary replied with a raised thumb which caused him to wince in pain because of his shoulder. "Shoulda used the other arm..." He complained internally.

"Ha! Lookin' forward to it, but don't push you' ass, eh? Enough young bloods been spilled." With that Wilfred left, disappearing out the door and down the corridor outside.

"Geez, I thought he'd never leave!" A voice echoed from the corridor. "Damn, Gray, you've seen better days." The voice belonged to Dean Quisling - one of Gary's childhood friends. They had coined the nickname Gray sometime ago. "We heard you got injured out there. You had us worried, you ass."

Dean was only sixteen years old and was ready to complete his training any day now - probably why he was in Jacinto Med. in the first place. He had dirty, shoulder length blond hair and wore the regulation COG armor, complete with Hammerburst Assault Rifle clutched in his right hand. Was he coming back from drills?

"Take more than a few grubs to take this Henderson down." Gray joked with a slight smile playing across his lips. "But even I gotta admit that was close."

"When's your next assignment?" Another voice sounded. Max Quisling, twin brother of Dean and Gary's best friend stepped into the room and took a seat on the nearby stool.

Max, being Dean's twin, was identical to his brother with the exception of their eyes and hair shade. Max's hair was a light shade of brown while his eyes were crystalline blue, completely unlike Dean's light grey. He also wore the same armor with a Longshot strapped to his back. The hair and eyes usually were the only way to tell the two apart most times.

"Tomorrow morning. We leave for Timgad Valley to scout the area." Gary said in reply, using his left arm and hand to deliver a high-five. "COG's planning a big offensive that'll hopefully end the war and we - plus a few other squads - are being sent to scout out possible locations." The details of this proposed future offensive were still a little sketchy at best, though it was the best chance they'd had since the failed Battle of Ephyra some four years ago.

From the corridor walked in a young woman with blond-coloured hair and a white medical coat. Gray's eyes went straight to her chest, then promptly to her ass as she turned to fill in his medical report. He and Max made eyes and nodded, guessing the others thoughts, while Dean shook his head absently as though in disapproval.

"You're free to go, private." She said somewhat coldly.

"Ah, come on, Anne. Don't give me the cold shoulder." Gray winked to Max. "You saw me naked. I only asked you to return the favour and, for reason unknown to me, you slap me."

"I should have strangled you," Anne replied with a shake of her head. "Is he always like this?" She asked of Dean.

"Since he first looked in the mirror and learned what a tit was."

"Hey!" Gary exclaimed angrily. "Haven't you heard its frowned upon to taunt the sickly?"

Anne jabbed his shoulder then, causing Gary to rebound away from her with a look of pain and fury etched across his face. "That hurt, damn it!"

"It was meant to!"

"Try that again!"

"I'll hit you with something harder next time!"

"Come on then!"

Dean and Max moved their heads to and fro each time a new comment was made until a sharp clap silenced both parties!

"What the hell is this!?" The balding man known as Sgt. Briggs demanded sharply. "Gear and nurse going at it like cat and dog while people are dying around you? You-" he gestured to the nurse "-get back to your rounds. And you-" He fixed Gary with a look that would make a Boomer flinch "-if your well enough to goose the hospital staff, your well enough to be about. I want you on that Raven tomorrow morning, soldier!"

"Sir yes sir!" Gary intoned.

When Briggs left, Gary, Max and Dean all shared a sigh of relieve before each young man got to their feet and walked out. Anne dropped a set of clothing on the bed before leaving with a little grin on her face, which Gary returned with a wink. And people thought they didn’t get along?

“I think I need a drink...” Gary said finally as he and the Quisling brothers walked away to begin their own preparations.

Next Morning's Ride
"They say waitings the worst part... and I'm starting to agree with the others. At least on the battlefield with bullets grazing your asshole you don't think about time. Or waiting. Every-thing's so quiet. Deathly so. I don't like it."

- Extract from Gary "Gray" Henderson's Journal.