 |
About This Site
Daily Musings
News
News Archive
Site Resources
FAQ
Screenshots
Concept Art
Halo 2 Updates
Interviews
Movies
Music
Miscellaneous
Mailbag
HBO PAL
Game Fun
The Halo Story
Tips and Tricks
Fan Creations
Wallpaper
Misc. Art
Fan Fiction
Comics
Logos
Banners
Press Coverage
Halo Reviews
Halo 2 Previews
Press Scans
Community
HBO Forum
Clan HBO Forum
HBO IRC Channel
Links
Admin
Submissions
FTP Uploads
HTTP Uploads
Contact
|
|
|
Survival Grounds by mattˆ
|
Survival Grounds parts 1-2
Date: 4 February 2003, 10:57 pm
Survival Grounds Part 1: The Beginning
All men man your post, this is not a drill...
I awoke to the words of the intercom system. Immediately after waking I noticed there were no other men in my barracks station. I quickly stood and examined my surroundings as the same voice came once again. 'I repeat, this is not a drill, all men to your post'. I didn't have a clue to what was happening so I looked around for my shotgun. After a couple of moments of searching I gave up, one of my squad, probably that pesky Pvt. Huelard, took it again. I began to walk to the cafeteria, knowing I would find out what was going on when I got there. As I approached the door into the hallway leading to the cafeteria I heard screams of fellow soldiers, 'Everyone get ready! They are coming through any minute now'. I stopped before getting close enough to the door for the auto sensors to open it. I peeked through one of the small glass slits in the door and from that moment knew what was happening, the Covenent were attacking. I saw three large Covenent, as we called the Elites, followed by their smaller comrades, five grunts. As quickly as they appeared they disappeared into the cafeteria as I hear gunshots begin. Soon after I heard them stop as I saw a green figure come around the corner and look in my direction, I quickly backed away from the door and ran in the opposite direction. As I ran away I heard many gunshots and explosions followed by the war cries of the Elites, someone must be doing pretty good against them. I ran back to my barracks station and snatched a pistol from the weapons rack mounted on the wall. I clinched my weapon as a stared at the door, I then knelt to the ground and opened up a small crate Labeled 'Small Arms' and snatched some ammo for my newly acquired pistol. The power began to flicker and eventually most of the lights went out due to some sort of explosion on the ship. I then heard some flutters and some tapping noises, I quickly stood and took a back step away from the door as to position myself beside it. The tapping noise got louder, it was then I knew there was something moving on the other side of the door. I pushed myself up against the wall so to try to be as hidden as possible. Moments later two figures walked through the door and right past me. One of the figures must've been the outline of an Elite, due to the height of around 7'6', while the other was either a Jackal or a Grunt, I made a guess of it being a Grunt due to the fact Jackals were rarely seen in ship assaults, as they liked being on solid land. I gripped my pistol tightly as I watched the two figures walk deeper into the room. I decided if I didn't act now it may end up being too late. I quickly ran up behind them and lobbed my pistol forward, it landed right in the back of the Elites neck and sent him tumbling to the ground. The grunt quickly turned and fired his plasma pistol in my direction. The room lit up with the explosions of the plasma against the wall as I dove out of the way behind a crate. I then heard a feint 'zap' sound which was very familiar to me, the Grunt overcharged his weapon and all marines knew this was the perfect time to strike. I turned on the light of my pistol then rolled out from behind the box and opened fire on the Grunt with my pistol. I began to reload as I heard yet another sound, this one more along the lines of 'thump'. I looked up once again and saw that both figures were now motionless. I pushed myself up to a stand and turned to the door aiming my pistol in the general direction as to brighten things up a bit. I saw the glimpse of a huge Elite wearing blood red shimmering armor. The Elite let out a warcry as he aimed his plasma rifle in my direction...
Survival Grounds Part 2: The Escape
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
I took a couple of steps backwards in fear as the Elite roared and began to charge up his plasma rifle which was staring straight at my paleface. Soon after, a large ball of plasma came darting my way. I collapsed to the floor just as it passed over my head and went on to blow a hole in the crate behind me. I laid there motionless, staring at the ground, as I heard the Elite make its way towards me. I went to reach for my pistol and just as I felt the cold sheer metal of the barrel, a swift kick met my hand and sent the pistol sliding away. I began to see a aura glowing on the ground, I knew at once he was starting to charge his weapon again. I slowly looked up seeing both of his large red armored feet less than a foot from my face. I heard the charge come to a stop as he was about to fire, then all of a sudden, several shots of rifles were heard in the background followed by the return fire of plasma weaponry. The feet in front of me quickly turned and faced the direction of the door. I could tell from the sounds that a small battle has erupted outside the barracks, moments later several Grunts followed by a Elite ran by the door, the Elite hovering over me soon ran out the door and joined in the fight. I laid there motionless as I listened to the battle erupt. This was a very unusual battle in many ways and I was about to see why. I heard several explosions just after a Marine yelled 'Fire in the hole!' then... silence. The silence was short-lived however as a couple burst of shots followed and the scream of an Elite echoed in the walls. Another set of footsteps were heard as I looked up once again and saw a pair of feet that were very welcomed, Marines. One knelt down beside me as the other two watched the door. 'Dead?', asked one of the Marines aiming at the door. 'No', I replied as I attempted to push myself up but collapsed due to the immense chills throughout my body. I laid there for a couple more seconds and finally got up with the assistance of the Marine at my side. 'Good, well, we have to get to the escape pods before they all launch, the Captain has ordered the evacuation of this ship.' I was astonished by his words as I spoke 'What!? We are going to abandon the Pillar of Autumn? But... but... It's our last...'. I stopped speaking as the Marine at my side spoke, 'Do you want to stay here and play with our friends?'. I nodded in agreement as I walked to the door. I slowly peeked my head outside and looked around and saw the casualties of the recent 'skirmish' that saved my life. 'Five Dead... Seven Covenent' stated a Marine as all of them walked out into the hallway. I couldn't believe they won such a battle against Covenent in such an enclosed place such as the halls of a ship. I made my way over to a dead body of a recently fallen Marine and picked up his rifle. 'Ok... to the launch pods?' I said. 'Yes, we must hurry, there's hardly any time left,' replied a Marine. We began our run to the launch pods as sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed throughout the ship. It seems most of the Covenent had made their way more towards the inner of the ship than we expected, and not many were left guarding the way towards our only escape. As we neared our freedom we reached a fire fight of several Marines and Covenent that were using the launch pod docks to enter the Pillar of Autumn. The battle was a violent one, especially since the Covenent had those pesky plasma shields for their protection. Me and my comrades retreated around the corner as we heard several gunshots and explosions from what seemed one Marine, we turned the corner and the Covenent were dead. We then hastened our escape and made it to one of the last pods...
Survival Grounds Part 3: The Landing
Date: 9 February 2003, 14:36 am
Noooooooooooooooooooo!
The screams of my fellow Marines echoed in the small life pod as the pilots voice came into my ear. 'There's our target,' she stated, 'We are going to land on that ring.' Ring?, I asked myself, how are we supposed to land on a ring in space? I gripped my hand tightly to the seat as I sat watching the expressions on the other Marines faces around me. 'Seven...' one of the Marines said. 'I wonder if any othe-' the Marine was interrupted by several large explosions followed by an immense light and shaking of the pod. 'W-w-what was that!?' I shouted. The pilots voice rang in my ear, 'The Pillar of Autumn is being shot down, along with many life pods, everyone just focus and get ready, we are going in.' Just as the pilot said that I pushed myself forward in the seat just enough to see out the pilot window, and then I saw it. A large ring in the sky, and we were heading straight for it. I began to wonder how such a thing existed and could keep in orbit like it was, but I had more things to worry about, like living. I pushed myself back into my seat as I saw our approach of the large Halo in the sky nearly come to an end. The pod began to shake randomly and frequently as a Marine said, 'We are entering its atmosphere.' 'Brace for impact', the pilot shouted. I clinged tightly to the bars holding me into tightly packed space as the shaking stopped for a moment. The Marine across from me looked up and out the window and shrieked, 'Oh god! We are going to die, The Covenent Are Going to Get Us!.' Just as the Marine finished his morale boosting speech a very abrupt smash met the pod and my head smashed into the side of one of the bars. For while all I saw was pitch blackness, as if all time had stopped, I actually felt peaceful until I began to hear the voices again. 'Oh god, not him too... so many dead... we can't survive like this.' I then heard another voice, 'Well, we have to move out, the others are in the boulders just outside the pod, I think they are trying to contact Foe Hammer.' I slowly opened my eyes as I saw two Marines walk away. They clinched after moving outside the pod and headed to the right, I wasn't sure of the particular direction due the to simple fact I didn't locate my rifle, and all Marines knew they were equipped with standard compasses. I slowly lifted the bars off of me as I regained my senses. I went to stand then stumbled off to the side, barely catching myself by gripping my hand around a bar on the side of the pod. I stood there for a couple of moments as I looked around the inside of the pod. Immediately I noticed a dead body, the body belonged to that of the pilot. It seems that the crash was at an incline as the collapse the pilot area and it smashed her inside. I then made my way outside of the pod where I noticed the body of a dead Marine. I knelt beside him and picked up his sniper rifle and pistol. I then stood and looked around to examine my surroundings. Directly in front of me lay a group of extremely large rocks, to my right was canyons, same with my rear, to my left was a hill marked by two glowing blue orbs as if they marked a path. I remember hearing the Marines beside me speak of moving into the large rocks so I slowly made my way over to them being careful as to not miss any of my surroundings. I entered a large fissure in one of the rocks and found myself in a small opening surrounded by the rocks, along with several other Marines, five to be exact. One of the Marines ran over to me and explained that we had to survive here until we get picked up, or figure out a better choice of action. I went to my post as I noticed several Covenent drop ships heading our way...
|
