28 October 2769
Planet Wing
City of Wei
1748 Local
Marshall brought his Champion to a halt a block from the fatal intersection. His eyes swept over the wreckage looking for RWR survivors or local looters. He cracks the throttle open and covers the remaining 50 meters to the ruined Exterminator, Rescue labels brightly mocking next to the smoking ruins of the cockpit.
Marshall reaches for a little used control marked obtusely as "Landing Lights" and switches on the paired searchlights on the Champion's exterior. He pops the cockpit canopy and gasps a little as the thick tropical air immediately coaxes sweat from his brow. He disconnects his cooling system and neurohelmet after setting the DI to park mode. He mutters as he grabs his rifle, "Who the hell chooses to live in a swamp like this. Might as well be in Baton Rouge." He swings a leg over the cockpit sill and pauses before climbing down to the ground. He reaches back in and pulls the ashtray.
Marshall scampers down to the ground and quickly advances to the Exterminator, using it as cover while he examines the cockpit wreckage. He has a moment of hope as he sees the intact rescue hatch, which turns to a moment of sorrow as he sees the charred wreckage of a command couch. Marshall shakes his head and scrapes some of the ash into the ashtray with his Sykes-Fairburne knife, "Always told him smoking would kill him. The irony of his remains, such as they are, being transported in an ashtray wouldn't be lost on him." Marshall says softly, "Rest in peace soldier. You've gone and left me with the hard part, liberating Terra. And I plan on liberating the hell out of those traitorous bastards, dezgra I believe the General called them. That's what you're getting for last words you crazy bastard. I'll make sure your ashes get somewhere you loved."
Marshall climbs back into his 'Mech, carefully reseats and seals the ashtray and mobilizes to meet up with the rest of the Company.