Colonel's staff car

I was being driven back to the regiment, after my convalescence. My colonel's staff car had outlived him, despite her taking many bolt shots. Cars are not like people, you can put holes in them, sometimes.

I'd had holes put in me, but survived though, so it was possible, but very very painful, and survival wasn't guaranteed, either. I owed a lot to Michael and his mob, who'd pulled me out, and that smelly sniper/recon squad leader, who'd even found us. But they were the ones waiting for me, along with my rebuilt regiment, so hopefully, I can pay some of those debts back.

I wonder what he's been up to? Michael's a quiet type, not the one who gets talked much about, but gets impressive amounts of scut work just done. And his mob has those other luminaries, Sophia, always arguing for her crew, Wanda, treating everything like a sports outing, but only playing to get the gold medal each time. Oh, and Marsha, who'd bandaged me, if she hadn't, the doctors have been clear, I'd not have made it. I heard 'pop'-'pop'-'pop' as the car shuddered, hit by some kind of biological darts, the tires deflating, the great car riding lower with each hit, but we only slowed down a little.

The car continued on, protecting me from outside threats, but nothing protected me from my own thoughts, so I carried on, my future as uncertain as before, and the meeting with those colleagues, friends most of them, really, looming large in my thoughts.

It had a name, this car, and a reputation too. The Grand Carolina, they called her, after a particularly fearsome aunt of Brad Lemmensholtz's, commanding officer of the Vandoos. It was a local vehicle, purchased upon his arrival on-planet by his adjutant, and had proven useful at 'running and gunning' past the headhunter squads the great enemy favored in thse parts. I apparently didn't rate that much, their numbers had been reduced, or they weren't expecting me, for whatever reason I wasn't facing a full blown-assault, I was grateful.

— A Inquisitor Lord Terran's memoirs of a Crusade Front, Carmine Petit, Olympus Mons, Mars Press, 794M41.

Class

Urdesh C-class Limousine

Nickname

The Grand Carolina

Designation

22-2-01 Regimental Staff Car

Motto

Carolina gets you there, no matter how many toes she steps on.

Owning Organization

Van Doos Royal Canadic Regiment

Complement / Crew

One driver.

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

Can seat eight