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MercGunners: A New Generation Of Heroes
Posted By: Full Metal 01<matthew.carson@comcast.net>
Date: 5 December 2005, 6:51 pm
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We were briefed on our mission. It would test our new MarcVI suits and will let us hone our skills before we fought the Covenant, an alien race bent on the destruction of Earth. They had asked me to make a code name for our group. I told them that we will be addressed as MercGunners. We were seated in the pelican and were transported five miles away from the base. Before they left us, they told us to choose our weapons. We were forced to use the Battle Rifles, but they wanted us to customize it a little. 9 took the S2AM Sniper Rifle, 8 took an SMG for its rapid fire. 3 took a Rocket Launcher, and I took a Shotgun, just for close range combat. As they took off they wished us luck. But we didn't need luck. We were MercGunners.
Me, 3, and 8 snuck into the back of the enemy base, hoping we could get a better look of what we were up against. 9 had set himself up in a tree on one of the surrounding mountain tops, just high enough so that he could cover us. We jumped over the brick wall they had set up to find blood and Plasma scorches all across the field. "9, are you seeing this?" I said through our private communication channel. He said, "Sure am. there's something moving around the building in front of you. It's using the darkness as cover. Do you want me to take it out?" I told him in a stern voice, "No, I want you to switch to night vision and confirm what it is, understood!" He responded, " Yes sir!" I waited for what seemed like an eternity before he responded on the communicator. He said, " There's a Covenant around that corner. A Grunt by the looks of him." I said, "Good work 9. 3, 8, let's move!" I had heard about the Grunts. If there's just one, then there's no problem. Thing is, they are ordered around by Elites, so where there's a Grunt, there's a high ranking Elite. We crept around the corners and turned around the corner. It had a respirating system on him, just like the pictures from home base. It shrieked a high pitched squeal, and I took it out in one shot. I asked, "9, do you see any Hunters?" That was what I was worried about. I had seen what just one Hunter had done to a squad of 15 Marines. None of them even stood a chance. 9 came back on the com and said, "No, but there could be some more Covenant in these buildings. I would advise caution, but I know how you work."
We moved swiftly and cautiously. An Elite with an Energy Sword jumped out of a doorway, only to be killed in an instant by an armor piercing bullet from a sniper. I said, "Thanks 9, nice shooting." He replied, " No problem." We slid inside the door that the Elite had jumped out of to be attacked by 3 more Elites. As Plasma and Bullets were being thrown around, I ran straight through with a Shotgun and with three consecutive bursts, the Elites fell to a bloody heap on the ground. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a Wraith coming over the hill. I told 3, "There's a Wraith coming from the South. Hit it hard." He pulled out his Rocket Launcher and said, "Time to demolish some covies!" With two shots 3 took out the wraith, only to have 3 Banshees fly around the wreckage and start barraging us with their dual plasma cannons. A giant firefight took place in that small base. Parts of the walls and ground melting under the fierce fire from both banshees. Finally, they were taken out by our homing rockets.
After we had assembled what weapons we could from all of the destruction, we managed to get some Plasma Rifles, an Energy Sword, a Plasma Pistol, and one of the Banshee's turrets were salvaged and proved to be compatible with the ammo in the Plasma Rifles. We would save the turret and Plasma Rifles for any Hunters or groups of Elites that we would have trouble with. As we proceeded, we saw the actual damage inflicted by the Covenant troops. Buildings were made into swiss cheese by the Wraith's Plasma Cannon shots. There were bodies strewn all around the battlefield. There were no survivors. We met up with 9 down the road, and he said, "There's a group of Grunts and Elites. Behind them is a Hunter. What shall we do?" I thought of the best tactic to use for this operation. I said, "9, let us handle this. Position yourself to where you can't lose site of us. I want you to record this for our troops back home. Use your sniper scope to get a better look." 9 replied, "Yes sir! I'm on it!" He ran steadily into the mountains and set up a spot for the best look. I told my team, "Let's use plan Alpha. 3, you have any rockets left?" He replied, "No sir, I used the last of them to take out those Banshees. I have some Plasma Grenades though." I said, "Then get them set. we'll need every one of them in order to take out that Hunter. It has a Fuel Rod Cannon built into its armor, so watch its right arm."
We began our run toward the enemy as silently and swiftly as possible. We were hiding in some dense forest for cover. I told 3 to give every one a Plasma Grenade, and he did just that. He actually had eight in total, enough to take out a team of Covenant Elites, or in this case, their Hunter. I gave the signal and we rushed toward the Covenant. Four Plasma Grenades flew in the air and caught the Hunter on the right arm, hoping to take it off before it could use it. As the grenades fused to its body, it let out a deep throaty roar, and in an explosion of Plasma and orange blood, the beast lost its arm, and yet it still stood! The Elites and Grunts turned around to face us, the Grunts yelled, "Look! Enemy!" and began to fire. Our shields went down immensely fast due to the power of the group of Covenant, but we made it back into the forest just in time, returning fire while retreating. We heard two sniper shots, and two Elites fell to the ground in a bloody heap. I said over our comm channel, "Thanks 9, now focus on that Hunter. Hit it where the orange shows. that's their weak point." He said, "Thanks for the info. I'll take it out in four shots. Watch your heads!!" We turned and took out the last Grunt and saw four sniper shots hit the Hunter in its mid back, right where its armor was torn. It became dazed, and fell, but began to stand! As we walked away, 8 yelled, "ITS STILL ALIVE! WHAT DO WE DO?!?!" I calmly told him, "We'll do what we were trained to do. 3, hand me that Banshee turret." 3 handed me the turret along with a couple of Plasma Rifles. He instructed me on how to reload it with the Plasma Rifles, and then let me finish the job. I walked over to where I was a few feet from the Hunter. It just looked at me as I raised the end of the turret. The mighty Hunter lowered its head, accepting defeat. I said to the beast, "You have been a worthy adversary. You should feel proud that you put up such a good fight." And with a final blow, I destroyed what was left of the Hunter. It fell to a steaming puddle of orange goop in front of me.
We regrouped and ran to the base entrance. Right as we were about to enter, I spotted three Elites on the roof. I thought of putting 9 out and having him snipe, but he's had enough fun for one day. We set up some plasma weaponry to fire off in thirty seconds. I had 3 and 8 stand out front and to start running toward the door, and to fire a couple of times. We were going to lead the Elites into a trap. The weapons went off, and all of the Elites ran to the edge and saw 3 and 8. They then ran off to an elevator and began their decent. Me and 9 stood facing the elevator doors, awaiting the Elites arrival. The doors opened and three Plasma Grenades flew at the Elites. One grenade fused to an Elites helmet, blowing its head off in a white-blue flash. The other grenades missed, as the Elites evaded them. The Elites began their assault, and we retreated for a second. I didn't even see 9 run past me. He ran straight toward the Elites, and hit them both in their heads, causing them to have their shoulders to touch. With the last Plasma Grenade, 9 threw it at the Elites, catching them both on their shoulder armor. They both began pulling away from each other, and then looked at 9. They began running at 9, hoping to take him out with them. As a desperate attempt to save 9, I fired at the Plasma Grenade still fused to the two Elites. It was a direct hit. The Elites were blown to pieces in a flash of white. All that was left was a pool of armor shrapnel and blue ink blood.
We all met up in front of the elevator, and rode in it all the way to the top. As the doors opened, I saw a Hunter with his Fuel Rod Cannon charged. I said, "EVADE!" and we all jumped out of the Elevator and ran inches away from the deadly fuel rod shot. I reached for a Plasma Grenade, only to notice that There were only frags left. I yelled to 3, "3! I need that turret loaded and ready to fire ASAP!" 3 replied, "Sorry sir, but we used the last of the Plasma Rifles on those other Hunters." I said, "Then give me some covering fire! I'll end this quickly." I ripped out my Shotgun, and charged straight for the Hunters. As I reached the first one, it bellowed a mighty roar, and swung at me with its shield. I jumped over it just in time to see the unarmored area on its back. I shoved the shottie straight into the beasts back, and fired two consecutive shots, bringing the beast to a heap of lead, armor, and orange blood. While I did this, the second Hunter had its Fuel Rod Cannon charged and ready to fire. With a desperate attempt to avenge its brother, it fired not one, but two shots from the cannon being overcharged. The first one missed my head by two inches. The heat from that shot took my shield down by half. The second shot caught me in my left arm, depleting my shield to nothing. Alarms went off in my head, meaning that my suit's armor was melted. I could feel the heat growing as the cooling gel in the suit leaked out. from out of no where, 8 jumped on the back of the Hunter, and wedged a Frag grenade inbetween its armor and its skin, and in a flash of orange, the beast fell, half of its body missing.
The flag was found on the roof near a few pools of blood. I said, "There are signs of a fierce battle here, but there's no bodies. Something's up. Be alert." Before I could say anything else, 9 yelled, "NEW HOSTILE! ON YOUR SIX, 1!" I turned to see a deformed tan Covenant Elite. It looked as if it had been run over by a tank a few times, and it had tentacles sticking out of its chest. I fired where the tentacles were with a Battle Rifle, and the beast fell dead. Further study showed that there was a creature living inside of the Elite body! These were what the Covenant called the Flood. "It looks as if we're gonna have a pretty hard time getting out of this base." I said as I watched Spectres, Ghosts, Wraiths, and Banshees rush to the base, all manned by the Flood.
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