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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 5123748" data-attributes="member: 3285">Righteous Triad Fists: Part 1 – Playing HALOThe wind screamed past Hammer as he went into free fall.  He was dimly aware of the other agents falling beside him, arms and legs spread.  Their altimeters clicked away as they descended.For a little while there was nothing but Hammer's breathing.  It was peaceful, silent.  They plunged through the cloud cover.  The air was nothing but mist and Hammer could feel the dampness fighting to get through his suit.  There were flashes of lightning here and there, but other than that it was quiet.  White.  Beautiful.He fell out of the bottom of the cloud.  The ocean glittered beneath them in the moonlight.  A storm was roiling overhead, but it hadn't yet broke and the moon was still partially visible, illuminating the contours of the island.It was the worst possible weather for a HALO insertion.  But they had little choice."We're clear.  Deploy parachutes in five…four…three…two..."Hammer took a deep breath and set his jaw so that he wouldn't bite his tongue.  He pulled the ripcord. The parachute exploded out behind him.  There was always that breathtaking moment between deployment and the parachute filling with air.  In those moments men learned their fates.The parachute deployed and it felt as if God flung him around by the scruff of his neck.  Hammer grabbed hold of the parachute controls and steered toward the landing target.The heads-up display on his mask showed that the other agents deploying, one after another.  Guppy deployed his chute right on time -- Hammer was concerned that, given his past experience, he might deploy it too early.  But Guppy was the least of his problems.A red light flashed on his HUD to the tune of a soft but persistent warning beep."Jimmy, what's up?""I'm fine," said Jim-Bean.Hammer had to concentrate on steering.  He craned his neck, but in the darkness and with the storm swirling overhead it was hard to see anything."Why aren't you deploying your chute?'"I don't need one," came the monotone reply."You can fly now?" asked Caprice sarcastically."Yes," said Jim-Bean.The beeping became more urgent as they floated closer to the island.  Hammer was close enough to make out some details.Alulu Island was an oblong coral atoll that almost encircled a shallow lagoon. There was a thin layer of topsoil inland, away from the sandy, wave-pounded beaches. On the southwestern side of the isle, waves had carved a wide inlet that connected the ocean with the lagoon. On the northern side of the island, a shallow channel of water divided the island at high tide. Hammer aimed his parachute toward the island."Jimmy, deploy your chute.""I'm already on the ground," said Jim-Bean.The altimeter disagreed with Jim-Bean's assessment.  But then, they weren't made for a psychic free-jumping like a madman. "God damn it Jim, deploy your chute! That's an order!"Hammer was so caught up in looking around for Jim-Bean that he lost control of his parachute.  It snagged on a tree and whipped him around, nearly slamming him head first into another tree.  He came to rest upside down, spinning slowly in a circle one way, then the next.There was the sound of lines snapping.  Hammer fell unceremoniously to the ground, ten feet up.  He rolled and came to his feet, pistols at the ready.Jim-Bean, who wasn't wearing his chute or mask, stood over him. He was smiling.  "Told you I already landed."</blockquote>

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