Running by Ashley 'Princess' Power
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Running Part 1
Date: 03 November 2001, 10:05 pm
The evening sun speckled the green undergrowth of the rain forest. There was a light warm breeze the sound of birds chirping to each other. This was tranquillity, nothng moving, and the whole forest feeling content.
Konard was running. Fire was going off all around him with conrads falling. he watched as his CO tripped and was hit in the leg with a powered blast then a needle hitting her in the shoulder, exploding. Dead. The order for the retreat had come too late. Out numbered, out gunned and out witted there had been a real massacre. The peaceful forest he was running into was cool and dark. Still he kept running with trees burning and blasts being randomly shot towards him. They say you never hear the shot that hits you; this was the case for Konard. A blast caught his right shoulder knocking him off his feet into the undergrowth. But he couldn't stay down. His instinct told him to keep going no matter how much it hurt or how hard it was. He slowly got to his feet leaning against a tree for support and started going again.
Running through the forest was too difficult to keep going with hordes of vines around his feet almost pulling him back down. The sound of gunfire was less frequent and further away but still he ran. Stopping for much needed breath he finally turned to his company for support but there was no one. No friends, no enemy. Nothing.
Once again the forest was still. Again the birds chirped away and still the golden sun, though now dipping down more, splattered the forest floor will its warmth, but now a soldier, wounded from battle, lay sprawled, afraid and alone waiting for death.
As the huge ring in space turned its own shadow cast across its inner side causing the illusion of night. A herd of beasts crashed through the forest looking for a fresh plane of grass waking Konard from his coma of rest. The light from the planet, Basis, cast menacing shadows all around. Konard, away from home, wounded, alone and with no hope listened to the quiet static of his com-radio hoping beyond hope of a commander ordering him to a drop ship or telling him to stop being such a 'old lady' or 'school girl' like the one in the training camp did back on his home planet Coreale to advance them into battle. But no on called. In the distance he heard battles being fought. The endless bangs reminded him of fireworks night back at home with his girl friend and adopted nephew, but he heard nothing else but just the odd shadow of a transmission bouncing around space into his radio.
As morning dawn on Konard he was able to assess his situation clearly. What he came up with was what he always had thought. He was F*cked. But he also had a choice. Slowly starve and go mad out here or go back to the battle and get rescued. As slowly as he could he crept back out of the mass of plants back to the openness of the battlefield. The herd of monsters that had passed in the night had found a pond to drink from. The bodies of his company had been collected by the covenants. They lay in organised rows all with the arms (if they were still attached) by their sides. Very dignified. Ducking back into the trees he quickly found and assault rifle left behind.
No he needed to find a specific body. Going back to the lines he quickly spotted the one he needed. Private Jones had the only multi-faced composite radio pack in the company. Finding him was no problem as he was a very big guy with a huge bur across his face and his eyes still open It was a large addition to his body amour that made long distance transmissions possible. Cutting the amour away from the body using his knife he took it back to the safety of the trees. Luckily it was only slightly damaged. Its power core had split oozing out a light blue liquid that provided power to the whole thing. He needed a new one.
He knew there should be an engineer left with the bodies that could have spare parts. Once again he had to leave the safety of the tress and venture back into the openness of the outside. With his weapon loaded he creped back to the lines and started to look but before he could fine him he felt the presents of a craft. He heard the whoosh of engines in the distance. Looking toward the trees he realised he had no time to get back for cover so in an instant reaction dropped the weapon and dived onto the floor as an extra in the lines.
A huge covenant drop ship landed with a thud near Konard. Trying not to breath he lay there paralyzed with fear. About four grunts exited the craft and started to lift and pull the bodies over into the craft. Talking to themselves they seemed to be angry about performing this task. Half and hour went by until they finally reached Konard. Picking him up like the rest they carried him over to the ship. Obviously thinking the wound on his shoulder had killed him they placed him onto the pile of bodies. Soon after the cargo door shut and Konard was in darkness again.
As a ship passed over the forest all was again quiet now there was no sign of a battle. Clouds formed and rain-washed away the blood and eventually lightening licked the sky. But Konard was far from there.
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