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Humanity's Last Hope by Ishkabibbl
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Humanity's Last Hope: Prolouge
Date: 11 April 2003, 2:21 AM
"Welcome foolish explorer, to the Library of Time. Here you shall find books, not on specific subjects, but on eras of time" The robed figure stood in front of me emanating power. I grinned and laughed aloud. All those scholarly fools back on earth mocked me for believing the ancient texts, even though I tried to warn them about the Halos. When John-117 returned to Earth, he talked about it and they seemed stupefied. "Are you going to day-dream or pick a book, mortal?" For some reason I felt the need to grasp my sword hilt. My sword was designed after the samurai sword of my ancestors, but with a taste of the future. Once drawn it was covered with a green flame that could pierce shields and slice through armor. The figure just seemed to be amused, "Now, now, no need for that. Just tell me which era you would like to experience."
"Experience, I thought they were books?!"
"Books haven't existed for along time. Instead in this library you choose which era to visit, even changing time. You can learn and relive life lines. Hmmm, you seem especially interested in the Human-Covenant War...even the Forerunner-Covenant War, not like they're that different, just continuations." I gasped at the fact he knew what I wanted and was just aghast at the fact the wars were continued. "Well, Will I be able to travel to more then one era, and if so, what would the price be?"
"Since you've traveled for thousands of years going 'light speed' you don't know the outcome of either wars...let me enlighten you. The humans lost both times. And about the limit of eras that depends, but for the price you will have to travel as your soul leaving that body of yours behind. Don't worry about it though because I'll take care of it. Since you travel with your soul if you die you immediately come back here, and you won't be able to return to that era for two months of their time. Any other questions?"
I nodded and released the hold on my sword hilt, "Yeah, do I get to pick where I go in that era?"
The figure seemed hesitant, "Err...well no, when you go back you will always be assigned to a decent ranking member of the military. Sometimes on the battlefield, sometimes you're about to die. If that's the case though I'll let you go to another spot, without the wait." I nodded, "Alright send me to the earliest part of the Forerunner-Covenant War." The figure made a gesture in the air and I was surrounded by little black cubes spinning around me. After a few seconds I sank into darkness...
When I awoke I was in a lush field, on my back. A marine ran up to me, "Where the hell did you come from?! I thought all the other Sergeants were sent on missions," A suspicious glare appeared on his face, "WHO ARE YO-" I twitched as the familiar sound of plasma fired filled my ears along with the private's blood in my eyes. I jumped up and unsheathed my sword and decapitated two grunts with a swing. The third ran away screaming with its arms up, but it couldn't escape my AR. It left a messy stain on the tree. A sound was coming from the private's old helmet. I snatched it off of his head and put it on my own. "All units retreat to the main generator. The covenant are about to break through the GAHHH-" The comm. link cut off suddenly. 'Best get to the main generator, whatever that is.' I pondered. I sprinted off to the North. Along the path I noticed burning vehicles that didn't look quite Covenant. Instead of the normal purple color on a ghost this ghost was green. I knocked one over and turned it on. "All units, calling all units, engage Covenant on sight. We're losing the struggle in the orbit and the Covies may glass the planet." I speed faster, noticing more and more wreckage in the field. Out of nowhere a banshee swooped down raining plasma. I strafed left allowing the banshee to go ahead of me, and I grabbed my AR and started to snipe the pilot. After a few more strafes the cockpit opened and an Elite's body flew out. I cruised on over to the body and pillaged it. A sound that terrified me was starting to come closer. It was the approach of a Covenant Drop-Ship. I ditched the ghost near the Elite and started to head towards the banshee. Before I got in, dozens of plasma and needler rounds struck my back.
Humanity's Last Hope: Part 2
Date: 13 April 2003, 1:03 AM
All of a sudden I was back in the library. The figure smirked, "Well that was faster then I thought it would be." I glared at the figure, "You never even told me your name. What is it?"
"Just refer to me as Guardian, which should be good enough for you. Also you never seemed to tell me yours."
"If you must know its Jack. Besides that, why didn't you send me to the right war?" The figure shook what seemed to be his shoulders, "Wee bit slow today aren't we? That was the correct war, you just weren't alive long enough to dig around." I gripped my sword and AR, "Send me back again at whatever time the rules said I had to be there." A slight nod from Guardian and I was surrounded by the cubes again.
"Whoa... there's got to be a better way to do this." I stood up and was in the middle of a fire-fight. Dozens of grunts sprayed plasma pistols at a squad of marines cowering behind a destroyed Scorpion. I whipped out my AR and sprayed their heads with shredder rounds. A red grunt shouted with its arms in the air, "They're everywhere!" One of the marines behind the tank nailed it with a shot in the back. I ran up to them. A marine looked up, "Sir, its good to see a sergeant around here. Thanks for the help."
"I don't have time for this! What's the current situation?" The marine gulped, "Sorry sir, right now we're winning the fight on the ground but I think the covies will take orbital control soon. Our squad was ambushed on the way to reinforce a bunker a few clicks away. The sergeant died when the tank exploded." I tapped my fingers on my sword while pondering what to do next. "See if you can contact any units around here. Tell them to gather at the bunker and we'll plan our next move then." The Pvt. saluted me and I returned it as he ran off to talk to his squad-mates. Later we were sprinting towards the bunker. "Get down!" I ducked as plasma flew above me. Rifle shots were heard as blue blood splashed the trees. I yelled, "How much farther is that bunker?" The marine behind me ran up, "Only a dozen meters, but there's heavy resistance." I nodded and took point. I side stepped from behind a tree and dropped a couple of jackals with three round bursts. We continued are rampage in the back of the covenant lines.
Once we reached the bunker I walked inside and saw it was in pretty bad shape. Plasma burns were all over it, which was bad because it meant they got inside it. I tapped a marine's shoulder, "Hey, who's in charge?" His face was pale and tired looking but he pointed out a group of sergeants. A siren went off and people were screaming, "They're coming again!" I reached into a crate and withdrew a couple of grenades. After loading one into the grenade launcher under my main barrel, in place of the flash light, I sprinted up one of the ramparts. There were screams from the wounded everywhere as hunters fired fuel rod cannons into the clusters of men. Cries of medics went unanswered. A marine fell on me missing his torso gurgling as blood filled his throat and mouth. I sighed, I've seen this so many times...*Click* my grenade discharged into a group of elites. They went flying every which way. Then there were screams behind me. I pivoted and saw a few elites that were uncloaking. I swung my AR over my back, unsheathed my sword, and brought it down on one of their heads. Before they could respond I shoved it into another's chest, twisted it, and brought it up through its head. The third tried to slash my legs, but I parried and elbowed it in the face. It came back faster then I thought it would and head-butted me, which sent me flying backwards. It seemed to gloat without noticing the grenade at its feet. After fifteen more minutes of fighting the covenant were defeated. Everyone knew that was just another probe. I cleaned my sword and reloaded my weapons. One of the marines that was attacked by the cloaking elites walked over to me, "Thanks sir, you saved my hide back there. I was wondering if I could do anything for you?" I nodded and grinned, "Follow me, we're going to get ready to counter-attack for the next fight. Grab some extra clips and grenades."
"Wait sir! Aren't you going to grab a pistol?" I didn't really have a choice as he shoved it towards me. I strapped it to my right thigh and started moving towards the tree line. We leapfrogged each other in the woods passing tree after tree. Finally, we reached the covenant camp. I pulled down the Pvt. "Hey, you got any string?" His eyebrows went up as he pulled a few strands out, "Got these from my uniform."
"Thanks. Ok here's the plan, first I'm going to hurl these grenades that I just tied together near those ghosts. Then you'll try to take out any elites that you can. After they get to their ghosts I'll fire my last grenade into the other four taking them all out. After that's done you'll run with me covering you. Lastly, if you think I died just look for me in a few months ok?"
"Yes, sir!" He proceeded to load a fresh clip into his pistol, as I hurled the grenades. "Now!" I yelled as I sprayed the area with my AR. I heard shots being snapped off and saw an elite glow. He yelled something in his language and the others ran to the ghosts. Once again a huge grin came over my face, "Start running!" The Pvt. saluted me and ran off towards the bunker. *Click* My grenade sailed over grunts and jackals and landed under a ghost. A fiery inferno ensued around the ghosts. Without their leaders the grunts ran for their lives. The tree next to me disintegrated. The jackals were firing with their pistols. I snapped off a couple shots with my pistol then started to sprint back to the bunker. I was harassed every inch of the way by the jackals. A few white contrails appeared out of nowhere, which left each jackal minus a head. I heard a cheer from the snipers on the bunker. I continued my jog until I met up with the Pvt. that had gone with me. His face was grave, "Sir, that wasn't the covenant camp. Recon just found it and its about forty times bigger." I slumped down against a tree, "Forty? No way will we be able to hold that off!" He sighed, "Since we did a pretty good job on that patrol group we get the honors of scouting out that base."
"I thought you said a patrol found it."
"They did, but they got slaughtered before they could tell us what was there."
"By the way sir, I'm Max."
"Just call me Jack." I stood up, "Better get some more string." Max was grinning like a lunatic.
Humanity's Last Hope Part: 2
Date: 13 April 2003, 4:52 AM
"You really think this is going to work sir?" Max was shaking in fear. I shrugged. I wasn't so sure a few booby traps and grenades would save us. All through the forest to the covenant camp there were S-nades (the four grenades tied to strings) next to landmines. I looked at Max, "Well we got all the traps ready, suppose we should go in now." Max just nodded. We climbed over the hill. I grabbed an S-nade and a plasma grenade. I activated the plasma grenade and stuck it onto the string and hurled the bunch into the middle of the camp. After the explosion Max and I sprayed the area with bullets. Dozens of elites came running at us. I shot AP rounds into them and when their shields were weak fired off my grenade launcher. Their screams filled the air. I knelt to reload my AR. I got back up and through a couple more S-nades at the camp. Max yelled, "I threw my S-nades on those crates, I think they're holding weapons!" My only reply was to fire my GL (grenade launcher) at them. A horrendous explosion fried a few dozen grunts and jackals. I sprinted around the camp dropping covies with three to fifteen round bursts. Huge whooshing sounds whizzed by me. I didn't think Max noticed them, "Hunters! Get some cover!" He rolled back down the hill narrowly missing the six bolts of green plasma. I rolled and in mid-roll slid my AR to my back and withdrew my MD9. Once I stood I took out three hunters by nailing their orange backs. As the last three turned towards me, Max dove out from behind a tree and killed them. As the battle raged the covenant started to get organized. After uttering a short war-cry, a gold armored elite leaped at me with a plasma sword. I dropped my pistol and unsheathed my sword. As he came down I plunged my sword deep into its chest. Its momentum kept coming and my hand ended up in it. More and more covenant were coming so I told Max to retreat. While running through the forest we heard the boom's of our S-nades going off. I spun around, knelt, and fired at an elite which dropped his shields. He started yelling, but before he could finish there was a grenade in its mouth. His head blew up in a shower of blood. I turned and tried to catch up with Max. He turned to me, "Hurry U-" Seven needler rounds entered his neck and head. I yelled as he was turned into mush. In a rage, I turned with my sword in hand and rushed the covenant. I twirled under their melee attacks and relived them of their limbs and lives. I was shot in the leg, but all that did was fuel my rage. I decapitated the jackal that dared to shoot me. I searched for covenant with needlers. I had to avenge Max! An elite took a step back and opened fire. I swung my blade in an arc giving it two heads. The needles entered my arms and exploded. My sword was too heavy for my weak arms so I continued the rampage with my AR. The jackals, seeing that I can't use my sword anymore redoubled their efforts to kill me. I ducked while spraying three and getting two. The worst sound in the world to me right now was the click of an empty clip. "Great, just freaking great. Out of ammo." I muttered. Without the pistol I dropped earlier, AR ammo, and on top of it all unable to hold my sword I'm dead. As a grunt walked up I kicked its legs out and snatched its plasma pistol. With an insane grin on my face I fired into covenant. Six rounds struck my armor melting it instantly. I grabbed it and threw the burning hot part onto another grunt. The sound of crunching foot-steps came closer. Two dozen marines came firing out of the trees. The entire covenant force fell riddled with holes. A medic walked towards me, "Stay still you got hit pretty bad." It was then I realized that my blood was all over the battlefield. A commander walked up, "What happened here!?"
"I was sent to attack the covenant camp from the bunker. They only let one other guy come with me."
"Well where is he?" My body shook with rage, "He got needlers to the face. Because you guys decided to take your sweet time." The sergeant looked ashamed, "Well we saved you at least." I snorted at him. Another marines voice came out of nowhere, "Geez! What happened to these covenant? They're missing chunks of their bodies." The sergeant looked at me. "When they killed Max I went berserk and took them on with my sword. The marine just whistled. Over the radio, "Alright we found a new planet in the Milky-Way to land. Our forward scouts build the fortress worlds to live on while we habitat that planet." I was extremely shocked, "What do you mean forward scouts?"
"As a nick-name we call them the forerunner, you know, one that comes before and indicates the approach of another. C'mon, don't you know about the project?" Before I could respond a plasma mortar landed in our group incinerating everyone.
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