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Mysteries Part One
Date: 1 January 2004, 10:10 PM
Jack suddenly noticed the darkness around the camp; Captain Higgins would want to hear from him any moment now. Despite what he has told his superiors, Jack truly hated being a scientist. The Covenant were tracking them because they, the marines that is, had assassinated their leader in hopes of setting off a civil war amongst them. This planet was key in getting UNSC ships past a ring of asteroids that stretch for seemingly ever. If the Covenant threat on this planet were eliminated, planets behind it will become new colonies. If they can be inhabited, which is why Jack was brought on this mission.
Jack entered the Captain's make shift tent and noticed there was an extra person there. "Private I will talk to you later, Jack please come in, sit." He sat in the chair and look at the Private exiting the tent, then turned his full attention onto the Captain. "Jack the covenant have wiped out more than half my squad, so I am going to have to ask of you something I expect you'll never head in your career again, can you shoot a gun son?"
"Yessir, I believe I can." Jack seemed to be excited that he was going to be able to help the marines in battle.
"Good, if you don't know how to reload just ask some Marines and I'm sure they will show you." He bent down and picked up something then slid a MA5B Assault Rifle over the desk to Jack. "Good luck Jack."
"Thank you Sir." He took the gun and walked from the tent and went into his personal tent, it was full of charts and layouts of the surrounding area. He folded his laptop and put it in a bag along with his portable printer and some paper. Looking at the picture of his dog he sighed and put it in his bag as well then left the tent. He looked at the map and saw something that gave him an idea. He took the maps of the area to Captain Higgins tent and laid them out on the desk. "The Covenant are coming from this way right sir?" He indicated a canyon on the map.
"Yes it's the only way to the valley we set up in, as far as we know." he face was full of confusion.
"Then sir, may I suggest placing the Warthog here." Jack showed the Captain a small cave at the base of the canyon.
"Clever Jack, very clever." He smiled. "Lets go tell the marines, this could help us." They got up to leave the tent.
"Sir, could I drive the Warthog to the cave? I have studied the map and would know where to go."
"Very well, lets get you a gunner and passenger." He stood up on some boxes and raised his voice. "Gentlemen, as you know the Covenant are preparing to attack us, in a matter of hours they will march through the canyon and begin a bloody battle that will test our will as humans! We will fight together or die together because WE WILL WIN!" A mighty roar went through the camp, the Captain held up his hands and the noise slowly ceased. "We plan to set up the Warthog in a small cave at the bottom of the canyon, as soon as the Covenant all pass the cave, it will come out and open fire on them all I need from you is two volunteers, who among you will join this cause?"
"Private Solan, Sir! I volunteer!" The Captain smiled at the Private.
"Thank you soldier. Any one else?" There was a short silence and it seemed that all the marines wanted to stay at the camp to defend it.
"Corporal Olsen, I volunteer!" The Captain gave him a nod of approvement.
"Thank you Solan, Olsen I'm sure that Military will reward you for this, You two decide where you will be in the Warthog, but Jack will be driving. Godspeed." The marines went back to setting up defenses in the camp. Jack, Corporal Olsen, and Private Solan went to the Warthog. Jack turned it as Olsen got in the gunner seat and Solan sat in the passenger seat.
"Can you drive Jack?" It was Private Solan, The Warthog's engine revved and then slowly moved out of the camp.
"It would seem that I can." Jack said with a chuckle. The Warthog picked up speed as they went down the canyon. Jack was watching the walls waiting to see the hole.
"There it is!" Corporal Olsen was the highest so could see the furthest.
"Good any sign of Covenant, Corporal?"
"None, thankfully but be weary Private." Jack drove a little further and saw the cave; He drove slightly past it then backed it in to the cave.
"HEY! This is my cave find your own hiding place!"
Mysteries Part 2
Date: 16 February 2004, 9:05 PM
Authors Note: All work and no play make me pissed off, damn you school!
"Find our own what?" Private Solan looked around the cave trying to see who was telling them to leave. Olsen turned on the flashlight on his gun and it revealed an elderly human man, wearing an outdated marine uniform. It was tattered and had many holes in it; next to him on the ground lay an older version of the MA5B, a M1A1. The M1A1 had a longer barrel than MA5B's hence was usually more accurate, but they were problematic. They have been know to fire with the safety on and after awhile some wouldn't be able to keep the ammunition clip inside the chamber. Some people blamed it on the military who had rushed architects to finish the design in under a week, others that M1A1's weren't produced in proper facilities but the facts remained; the weapon wasn't at all good.
"You heard me damnit, find you own place to hide. I haven't lived this long by bringing my enemies to me, which is why you're here; I know your hiding from the government too. This planet is safe from the UNSC, they think I killed someone I didn't so I took a ship and flew it here! Ha those fools. Your welcome to stay here if you want." Jack looked sideways at the man then glanced at Solan whose expression would have been funny but for whatever reason pure confusion wasn't humorous at the moment.
"Didn't you just" Solan began but was cut off.
"Thank you we would love to stay." Jack said quickly and threw a look at Solan telling him to shut up. The man was obvisouly delusional and Jack didn't want to make him angry. He could be unpredictable and use his weapon on them resulting in letting the Covenant just walk into the Marine base they had left behind. "What's your name?" Jack inquired.
"Well sir, they call me Harold." He stood up and for the first time Jack noticed that behind him was a small garden of vegetables, how it grew in a cave, he had no idea, maybe he would study them later. "MINE" Harold yelled and ran over to his vegetable garden to protect them from Jack.
"I'm not going to steal from you Harold, I am just wondering how that you grew a garden in a cave."
"Not cave, there is a hole in top light comes in a shines on my plants, so they grow." He smiled simply but stayed between Jack and the vegetables.
"Well Harold, we only need this cave for a short time so when the Covenant pass," Olsen began.
"AHHHH THE COVENANT ARE HERE! LET'S GO!" Harold grabbed his M1A1 and ran out of the cave. Jack heard an Elite say something and then a blue plasma bolt struck Harold in the chest he was knocked back, but not before he has started shooting at the covenant.
"Shit" muttered Olsen. "I guess that's the last of him, turn off the Hog don't want them to see us." Jack turned the warthog off and the lights in the cave dimmed. If it weren't for the light from outside the cave and the small hole Harold had described, Olsen, Solan, and Jack wouldn't have been able to see. The first group of covenant passed the cave and the three men held their breath as an Elite peered into the cave. It grunted then continued to walk past them.
"OK now into the hog after the third group passes, then we'll ride out and give em hell." Jack whispered in the lowest tone he could so that the Marines heard him but not the Covenant.
Both men responded at the same time, "OK." The third group passed, and Jack revved the Warthog's engine. As the large Jeep drove out of the cave many things happened all at once, the Covenant realized they were divided, hundreds of bullets riddled the area and Covenant fell over dead, and in the confusion Covenants shot wildly at the Warthog, ending up shooting those that were ahead of them or, hitting those that used to follow them. Jack drove through the covenant ranks and some were crushed by the Warthog others caught by Olsen spraying bullets from the gun mount. Those lucky enough to escape death ran for cover behind rocks and dead bodies. A stray plasma bolt struck Private Solan in the hand and he dropped his rifle which got caught in the back tires and the Hog was brought to a screeching halt just past the last group of covenant.
"Sorry" Solan yelled above the commotion as the three men ran behind the Hog for cover from the covenant who had reorganized and were advancing on their position. Jack had managed to turn the Warthog so that the Wheel with the MA5B was easily accessed and they could use the Hog as cover.
"Don't be sorry just take these bandages and cover that wound Marine!" Olsen threw him some bandages, which Solan promptly used to wrap around his bleeding hand. Jack managed to get the rifle out of the Hogs wheels but he wasn't sure if the Jeep would be able to move anymore.
Mysteries Part 3
Date: 20 February 2004, 12:01 AM
Authors Note: well there has been some talk that Warthogs are NOT called jeeps (who knew) more info is in section two's comment area.
Holding one rifle in each hand, Jack ran out from the cover of the Warthog and starting shooting wildly. The effect of two MA5B's shooting at once made him take a few steps back every once in awhile as he was running about. "Eat lead mother fuckers! Olsen, get the LAAG going again!" He managed to yell, as he had to drop suddenly to avoid a plasma bolt. Corporal Olsen got up from attending to Private Solan's wound and slowly peeked above the top of the Warthog to make sure any Covenant that were close weren't too close to the LAAG. He hopped up on to it and opened fire on the slowly advancing Covenant ranks.
"JACK! GET BACK HERE" Olsen roared over the rattling of the LAAG after noticing Jack was pinned down behind a rock. Armor piercing shells provided Jack the complete cover he needed to get back to the safety of the Hog, both his rifles were empty and he had left extra ammunition back behind the Hog.
"Solan, toss me a Pistol!" The private unstrapped his sidearm and tossed it over to Jack. Leaving the rifles behind he ran out from behind the rock and dove back behind the Warthog. "What the hell is that!" Jack said as he pointed out a group of Elites carrying a large box. The Covenant had unwittingly flanked the men. Jack grabbed the radio out of the Hog and lay down between the seats with his MD6 pistol and assisted The Corporal while he was getting on the home base's frequency. "Captain come in." A Grunt wouldn't be walking any time soon. "Captain do you read?" A shell crushed the skull of a Jackal. "Captain Higgans please respond."
A well-placed shot severed a Grunts gas mask. "Captain Higgans here, what can I do for you Jack?"
"We need marine support sir"
"What's wrong with having a warthog? Especially in a small area making the Covenant easy to pick off?"
"Solan was shot in the hand, he dropped his rifle and it got stuck in the rear wheels. I had to stop it but we managed to get behind them all." A Grunt fell to the ground.
"Well I don't see the problem you'll just have to walk back right?"
"Well it just got more complicated, A group of Elites are carrying a large box from behind us, I suspect it is a Shade. They flanked us without knowing it sir"
A Elite took one in the head after having its shields taken out by the LAAG "Well Jack I'll see what I can do but you know I need all available men to keep setting up defensive perimeters."
"I know that sir, just send help when you can." Jack turned off the radio and reloaded after killing a Jackal and two Grunts. "Hey guys, I don't think he's gonna send anyone, so I got a plan."
"Shoot." Solan said, looking hopeful.
"We need to see if the Warthog will move then if it does, we take that Box the Covenant are carrying."
"Sounds like a plan." Olsen commented. Jack climbed over to the drivers seat, waited for Solan to get in then he turned the Hog on, put it in reverse and pressed the pedal, It moved, but pulled to the left. He drove off with Olsen still gunning at the Covenant.
"Here use your good hand" Jack gave Solan the MD6 back.
"Hope this works." He muttered as he loaded a fresh clip into the gun. The Elites put the crate down and opened fire on the Warthog. Two of the six were killed by Olsen, two more crushed by the Warthog. Jack turned around for another pass, Olsen killed one but the last Elite dove out of the way, and gracefully shot the LAAG just before he landed. Before he could get up Solan had downed him with a few well-placed shots.
"Shit! That fucked shot the LAAG and now it won't work!" Olsen raged as he ran over to the dead corpse and kicked it out of anger. "Why! Must! You! Asses! Be! So! Damn! Annoying!" he last kick made contact with its head and there was a sickening crack as its neck broke.
Jack opened the crate and exclaimed "It is a shade, but it's smaller than schematics have shown it to be." He looked from the smaller than average Shade to the broken LAAG and smiled.
Mysteries Part 4
Date: 27 February 2004, 12:14 AM
Authors Note: For those of you wondering, no the full reason has NOT been revealed as to why I titled this series Mysteries (Evil Smile).
The idea had seemed so simple yet was now proving to be very complex. Jack and Olsen were busy trying to burn off the LAAG whilst Solan was told to rest due to his wound. None of the men dared come out from their cover due to atleast a score of covenant had them pinned down. Suddenly the radio came on and Captain Higgans spoke. "Jack! We've wiped out the remaining covenant that must have come here after you stopped attacking them. Report back to HQ within three hours time." The radio went silent. Jack grabbed it and responded.
"Captain, we're still pinned down by a small group of Covenant, after repairs to the Warthog, we will attack them and come back to the HQ."
"Affirmative, but Jack be here on time."
"I will be sir." Jack put the radio back on the Hog and went back to help Olsen with the LAAG. "Jesus, this metal is friken dense." he commented with disdain
"Yea but we're half way there and have only used two outta the six plasma rifles we have at hand."
"Well your assuming there are all at 100% charge."
"Hope for the best."
"I guess so." Jack went back to the work at hand.
-One Hour Later-
"Just a little more, come on Olsen lets finish this." Jacks words seemed to inspire the Corporal and he picked up a fresh rifle, his old one being burnt out and began the work again.
"Woah watch out!" The Laag, severed from its base fell to the ground. "You know I've always kinda wondered what it would look like with out the gun up there."
"Looks kinda weird." Solan said as he approached the Hog.
"After looking around that box the Covenant were carrying, I found that one side folds down, so we can just pick up that mini-shade and walk out with it."
"I hope its light." Olsen muttered.
"It is Sir I tried lifting it with my one good hand and almost tipped it over, the Covenant must have discovered some material that works with their technology." The three men went to the box, and between the five hands, they lifted it and carried to the Warthog. After putting it up on the back Jack noticed it was slightly smaller than the area it had to fit in.
Then Jack noticed the flaw he had overlooked. "Umm how do we keep it up there?" The two marines looked up at the mini-shade and their facial expressions went from joy to depression. Then Solan's eyes light up.
"Hey look there are little nooks in the shade!"
"I don't see where you're going with this Private." Olsen told him.
"The Warthog has some standard bungie cords, so all we need to do is strap the Shade down from the sides and back."
"What about the front?" Jack asked him.
"The rope and hook thing in front of the Hog, we just put the hook on the nook in the Shade."
"Sounds good, Solan get out the bungie cords." Olsen gave him the order.
"Yes sir!" he opened a compartment under the passenger seat and grabbed from the pile of handheld GPS's, a laptop, extra ammunition, and a blowtorch. Solan handed the bungie cords to Jack because Jack had two good hands. Jack went to the Shade, hooked up a cord to one of the nooks while Olsen was up front unraveling metal rope for the forward securement. When all three cords were in place, Jack climbed on the Warthog, and took the rope from Olsen and brought it back to the shade. He tried to put it in the last nook but the hook was too big.
"Hey Solan, that blowtorch, give it to me." Jack knew he was going to have to mold the hook on which might not please the captain but it was their only chance to get out of the situation they were in.
"Here ya go." Jack took it and fired it up. He began molding the hook to the mini-shade.
-Half Hour Later-
"OK lets get the hell out of here" Jack said as he got in the drivers seat, waited until Solan was next to him and Olsen behind.
"This is much better now I can sit down instead of having to stand up with a friken huge ass gun rattling me to the bones" Jack chuckles at Olsen's remark, then he turned on the Warthog, revved the engine and drove out to meet the Covenant who had, unfortunately decided to go to sleep. The sudden loud roar of the Warthog and unexpected blasts from the mini-shade, which fired faster and with more accuracy than a regular shade, woke them very fast. "THIS IS INSANE, BUT ITS ALSO FUN!" Olsen yelled over yells of Covenant. Jack picked up a pistol that lies next to him and shot a grunt as he passed it. An Elite was throw to the canyon wall from many shade shots. Eventually all of the Covenant were killed off and Jack began their return to the HQ. When they arrived, they found dead human bodies littered the area, most of them not in one piece.
Jack put it in the most simple way he could, "What... the... hell..."
Mysteries Part 5
Date: 9 April 2004, 4:33 AM
Authors Note: School School School, the one place that needs a children's armory and doesn't have one.
Solan started to yell out shrilly "What the hell!? More like what the fucking hell is fucking going fucking on!"
Olsen tried to talk to him "Calm down soldier, we need to figure out what the hell happened. Jack could this have been the flood?"
"I don't think so. Usually a few flood would be taken out, or they would still be here, ahem eating." He winced somewhat at the last statement, as did the other two men. "We should check out the ship, maybe the Construct knows anything, or is still there."
"Solan, stay here and guard the..." Olsen started but was interrupted by Jack.
"Look around, do you think it's such a good idea to leave a man with one hand here?"
"Umm, good point." From the wreckage, Jack picked up an MA7B ammo for it and some more pistol clips. It was at that moment that something caught his eye, unfortunately for him if was under what remained of a marine's torso. He shoved the body away, with much disgust, and saw a staff. The head of the staff was encrusted with a large emerald, the handle was probably five feet long and the end of it went from steel to intertwining gold.
"Umm guys" he picked it up and turned around to face Olsen and Solan, but upon seeing them he felt a sudden rush of pure hatred toward them.
Olsen looked over at Jack "Jack? Solan, did you see that? He just disappeared." Jack dropped the staff and raised his MA7B. The hatred left, and Jack was looking at Olsen's head through the scope of his rifle. "Jack? What's going on?"
"I... I... don't know, I just felt a sudden hatred when I picked up the staff" A look of pure confusion was expressed throughout his face. He lowered the rifle. He approached Olsen, but stopped as he was threatened by Olsen aiming his rifle at Jack. "Olsen, the staff, it has to have something to do with what happened, don't be so hostile I wouldn't shoot you."
"Who's to say it didn't completely take you over and this is just an act?" Suspicion coursed through Olsen body. A single shot rang out; Olsen dropped his weapon looked over to see Solan's hand extended with a pistol in his hand. Olsen dropped to the ground, raised his own pistol and shot Solan, twice once in the stomach and his second shot went right between Solan's enlarged frightened eye's. Jack stood rooted to the spot where he stood. The thought of being the only human being alive on the desolate planet, like the old man they encountered in the caves.
He said to himself "Alone." He went back to the staff and picked it up again, looked around and felt no hate. He didn't know why, but he took it with him on his approach to the ship that had brought them here in the first place. He arrived at the exterior doors, and found they weren't locked, but were barricaded with debris of twisted metal, that was jagged and would most likely slice him to pieces if he tried to move it. He hoped that the rear hanger was still open, but just to be sure he went back to the warthog. Sure it would be faster, but if he came across any tight places he would have to ditch the hog. The hanger still housed the ships only Longsword, a good sign but Jack felt he needed to get to the bottom of this mystery. He moved the Warthog into the hanger still wondering why Solan had shot Olsen, maybe he had a second staff was found by Solan. "I should have checked that out." he muttered to himself. He drove the warthog into the service branches, checking the alphanumeric patterns above the exit doors. Rounding the corner, he came across a problem, there was a road block of debris with a opening, small enough to fit only a person, not a warthog. After letting out a few cuss words, kicking some things, and grabbing his weapons and the staff, he went through the opening and saw a four-legged animal with reverse knee's and a head of jagged scale like armor. Next to the beast, dug in the wall was a deep hole that was lit with an eerie orange glow. "This could change things slightly..." He raised his MA7B and opened fire on the beast which took immediate notice of this new annoyance and with unexpected speed charged Jack. He retreated back through the debris opening, and the beast collided into the wall, then let out a screeched in pain.
Jack went to investigate and saw it was impailed on a beam sticking out of the rubble. Jack went back to the warthog to use the partially depleated blow-torch to kill the animal but when he went back only blood remained on the beam, the thing was no where to be seen. "Aw crap, why me? What the hell is with the goddamned planet. No colonies are going to be here that's for sure." He sighed and realized he was in a madman's paradise.
Mysteries Part 6
Date: 21 April 2004, 10:49 PM
Authors Note: Back on track!
Jack could hear his own heart beating, and it scared him. This he admitted to himself. He grunted and, having already accepted talking to himself said, "Is this staff getting heavier? And why am I still carrying it?" Confused as he was he kept it with him, staff in his right hand over his shoulder, MA7B in the left. A low rumble echoed down the corridor. Jack dropped the staff and raised his rifle to an attack position. An Elite crawled out from around the corner, his armor was battered full of holes and most of all covered in his own blood. The Elite looked at Jack and without its helmet Jack could see an almost pleading look in its eyes, then it saw the staff. His eyes widened to a look of fear and he scrambled away from it. Gunshot. The Elite collapsed and died.
Jack picked up the staff and turned the corner the Elite had come from and was confronted with "A nest? Oh this just gets better and better." The nest had the same eerie orange glow that he had originally seen in the wall by the creature. When passing it he had found nothing by orange mucus or acid, he didn't take the time to find out. The nest was made from twisted steel and crates. It was at this point Jack noticed the emerald on the staff start to glow, He took a step to the nest and it glowed brighter. He stepped back the glare lessened. "What the hell?" He tossed the staff into the nest and suddenly the whole area became a blinding green light.
Jack woke up and looked around, trying to remember what had happened. He slowly began to recall it. The past few hours went through his mind, Covenant battle, mysterious old marine, dead marines, and pure hate for Olsen and Solan, finally the unknown creature, staff and the nest. Where was he now though? Oddly his weapons were still with him but the staff was not. "Am I dead?" He wondered outloud.
"No, but you almost were." Jack whirled around to face Captain Higgans. The captain looked atleast ten years older, and his uniform was tattered, ripped, and bloody. "Thought I died didn't you?"
"Yes, I did. What happened?"
"I'm not sure exactly but a few minutes after our last transmission, these things came out of the forest and just started to attack the men."
"There's more than one!"
"Yes, but we managed to kill a few of them, but they just kept comming until I gave the order to what's left of us to retreat into the ship."
"Wait, you killed some? There were only parts of humans out there none of those things were there. Are you sure they didn't just decide to sunbathe?"
"Jack, we killed them I'm sure of it. I saw some of them go down hard."
"Well sir they're not dead now. What do you know about the Staff I found?"
"Nothing except that one of my officers did say he saw a mist holding a staff with an Emerald in it, how mist holds a staff I don't know."
"Sir when I first picked it up I felt a rush of hate for Olsen and Solan, And I found myself about to kill Olsen, but then I realized what I was doing. Olsen thought the staff had infected me with something so he held me at gunpoint. I don't know what went on with Solan but next thing I knew he had shot Olsen only to be shot back. They're both dead."
"That's bad because that means were the only two left alive."
"The ships lowest hanger still has its Longsword docked so that could be our exit."
"Good, but Jack I don't think I'll be leaving with you." He revealed that he had a large gaping wound in his chest.
"Sir you can make it to the ship even if I have to get some medical supplies to assist you to get there."
"Jack don't do this, I'm going to die and accept that."
"No damnit! I will not let you die!"
"Jack, just go! Those things will be back any moment now I'll distract them you have to get off this damned planet."
"But sir..."
"That's and order!" Jack got up off the floor, picked up his weapons and started to leave. "Good luck Jack." He turned back to face the captain and saluted him waited for it to be returned then left. Jack headed back through the corridors of the ship back to the hanger. He arrived at the debris that had originally blocked his path to find it had been knocked over and the Warthog was almost symbolically waiting for him. It was like a slap in the face, he rushed to the Warthog and revved the engine heading back to the captain. As he arrived, one of the animals was about to enter the room the captain was in held back only by gunfire. Jack drove straight at it and drove over it coming to a stop a few feet past its crushed body. Jack jumped out of the hog.
"Let's go Captain." He helped the captain get up and brought him to the passenger side of the warthog. He put the captain in the hog and ran back to the driver's seat. He drove out of there fast but not before the thought to be dead beast simply got up and took leaps and bounds after the Warthog. "This is not good!" Its claws gripped the walls and would simply leap down the wall like it was the ground. Jack unpinned a grenade and tossed it backwards. The explosion missed the beast but it distracted it. It jumped onto the smoking crater as Jack sped away. Jack almost flipped the Warthog over while slamming on the breaks to stop at the hanger. A group of four Special Ops Elites were guarding the Longsword fighter. "Crap..."
To Be Concluded.
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