Sgt. Rosen's boot sank with a mushing sound into the soft Venusian soil. Two weeks, he thought to himself. Two weeks in this cardinal-forsaken jungle. Somebody must hate me over at HQ.

He stopped briefly and checked back behind him to see the progress of his squad. Though none of them had much jungle experience at all, they were advancing in knowledge swiftly. Especially fast, considering how a Venusian Man-trap had gotten Kowalski.

Their squad had been deployed in this area after several supply trucks had been destroyed on the Saunders road half a klik west of their present position. There had been no survivors, so the possible culprits ranged from Mishima Ashigaru to old Algeroth himself. The only thing that remained were burnt out metal husks and several charred corpses.

"Sarge?"

Rosen glanced over to Schofeld, a newbie only 2 weeks out of special forces training. How funny, Rosen thought, A month ago this guy was probably the big man in his trencher squad, and now he looks like a recruit ready to shoot the next guy who farts funny.

"Whatcha need," Rosen inquired as he futzed with his crimson colored beret.

"Well, we didnt get a thorough briefing, so how much longer will we be out here?"

"Until we find out whats going on. Were doin recon for the brass."

"Why?"

The sergeant turned to regard Schofeld critically. "Never ask that question again. We do what we do, because were here and were the best. You dont need more explanation than that."

"Yes, sir."

A soft bird whistle echoed from their right flank. Rosen motioned to the rest of the squad and they began to swiftly move towards the call. After crawling 50 feet, they emerged in a small clearing where Avery, the squads point man was standing.

"Sit rep," asked Rosen.

"I got signs of some things moving around this area," replied Avery. "Deep footprints indicate a big unfriendly and these broken branches to the south here have fresh s ere. Skirmish line, 20 feet apart," ordered Rosen. "Silence from here on out until otherwise notified. "

The Blood Beret squad quickly broke up and the respective troops moved into the line. Rosen noticed that Schofeld had taken up the closet position to the center, where the sergeant was to take position. Wonder why hes using me as a security blanket, he thought. Smiling to himself, Rosen took up his spot and the line started slinking forward.

Rosen made a soft bird call to get the squads attention. He made a hand signal to Avery, who nodded and pulled up from the squad. Rosen had the squad hold position until Avery could get 150 feet in front for his point position. Pulling out his canteen, Rosen drank deeply, feeling the water slide down his throat and fill his stomach as he swallowed. The rest of the squad crouched and waited, knowing that it would take Avery a minute or two to get up front. Bailey started checking his ammo supply and Reily was munching on a food ration. Lundwall was leaning against a tree, playing with his beret, spinning it around his finger. Schofeld was still crouching and nervously watching ahead of him. Rosen shook his head had crawled softly over to Schofeld.

"Take it easy, kid," he whispered, "You tense up all the time like that, then youll screw up and get us all killed. That definitely wouldnt make me happy."

Schofeld just looked at him with wide eyes. He looked like a doe that were caught in the headlights of a Necromower.

"Just make sure that you shoot when you have to. Thats all you have to remember."

With that, Rosen crawled back to his position and secured his gear. Adjusting his beret on his slightly balding head, he returned to a slightly crouched position and waved the rest of the squad forward. Their feet softly pressing into the ground, it seemed to the sergeant like they were walking on a sponge. He pushed aside a huge leaf that could have doubled as a hammock and continued forward. Stealing a w the newbie infiltrating as well as any veteran.

Well, hes got to be good at something, Rosen thought as he pushed another leaf the size of a elephant out of the way.

The bloodied corpse of Avery stared back at him.

Rosen fell onto his back and shuffled away from the body which was leaning against the truck of a huge tree. His stomach had been sliced open and entrails were pooled around his feet.

The rest of the squad, noticing the sergeants reaction, ran over to his position to discover the body as well. They all were stunned at the sight of their comrades mutilated corpse. Schofeld turned away and put his head between his knees, vomiting. Rosen went forward to his knees and studied the ground around the corpse. He found huge footprints depressed heavily into the soft dirt. The tracks led off to the south where a huge waterfall could be seen in the distance.

Rosen stood finally and addressed the squad. "Lets get this bastard. Formation Delta. All weapons on the ready." The squad quickly reformed in a square pattern with about fifteen feet between each trooper and the sergeant in the center. Lundwall was front right, Schofeld front left, Bailey and Reily were back left and right, respectively. The Berets began to make their way towards the south, heading for the misty waterfall in the distance.

They marched about half a mile, the roar of the waterfall starting to echo all through the jungle. Wiping his brow, Rosen look around the jungle, while keeping pace with the squad.

Thats when he saw it. A slight glint of metal only 30 feet from the far right point man. A huge creature stood there, nearly eight feet tall, its body encased in heavy metal armor. The exposed skin on its arms and head were a deep blue and two reddish tusks sprouted from the sides of its head. Its lipless mouth displaying long sharp teeth.

Rosen stood there, frozen at the spot, unable to get his body to work. The things yellow eyes focused on him and brough "10 oclock," screamed Rosen as he finally brought his Interceptor to bear.

The rest of the squad spun to the right forward, as well as Lundwall who fell to one knee to making a smaller target for enemy fire.

A huge gout of flame erupted from where the thing was, engulfing Lundwall entirely. Reily barely jumped out of the way, his armor getting singed from the flames. The rest of Berets began shooting their Invaders at the thing while Lundwall feel to the ground, screaming and flailing around.

Rosen popped a grenade and threw it where the thing was. After a couple of seconds, it exploded, showering the area with shrapnel. The squad stopped firing, waiting for the smoke from the explosion to disperse.

A loud pop echoed and a small object landed at Reilys feet. He had only the time to realize what it was before the grenade exploded at his feet, shredding his body beyond recognition.

Heavy machine gun fire burst from the smoke, spraying the area with bullets. Catching him in the shoulder, Rosen started spinning around, hitting the ground as another bullet hit his pelvis shattering it. A bullet struck Bailey in the head, showering the jungle leaves with a jelly-like red sludge. Schofeld continued firing into the smoke.

Propping himself on his elbow, he screamed to Schofeld, "Run for it!! Get to the dust off!!!"

Schofeld, kneeling on the jungle floor, looked at Rosen. "No sir, I cant do that."

"Be a hero on your own time, rookie," he yelled. "Move it! Thats an order."

The young Beret knelt there for another few seconds, his face contorted in anguish, before he jumped to his feet and quickly ran past Rosen.

"Good boy," he said, smiling to himself as he pulled out his Interceptor. Rolling on to his stomach, he put the pistol underneath him and wrapped his hand around the handle of his chainripper.

Gotta plan this right, Rosen thought as his heart raced in his chest. He tried to slow his breathing as much as he could, his hand gri tight that his knuckles were white. Rosen could hear something big start rustling through the foliage. It was coming towards the corpses of the rest of his squad. The movement stopped for a second, then started coming towards him. Its footsteps seemed to make the ground shake as it stopped right next to him. He felt a hand grab him by the arm and flip him over.

Not bothering to see his opponent, he immediately began firing his Interceptor into the creature. Through the flashes of his gun he could see the large blue and metal creature fall back from his fire, dropping a huge gun as it brought its hands up to protect its face. Still in range of his sweep, Rosen unsheathed his chainripper and brought his arm back to strike.

Metal slashed through the air and Rosens hand fell from his wrist a couple of feet from him, still clutching the chainripper. He screamed as the blood pumped from the stump of his arm. He slowly turned his head and saw another creature, exactly like the other one, Encased in metal armor with blue skin. Its lips pulled back to give it a sneering look, Rosen felt his body stiffen with fear, as the Praetorian Stalker raised its weapon again, and swung its huge bayonet, at the Blood Beret.