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Chronicles of Corporal Wilkens: Part One: Deployment
Posted By: Major Silva<majorsilva@aol.com>
Date: 5 September 2005, 7:47 pm


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Deployment +03 hours: 32 minutes: 23 seconds ( Corporal Wilkens Mission Clock ) /
City Block Designation 003-012, Earth

The sky was red. Like a fire, almost. The Covenant forces had invaded Earth little more than three hours ago. Major Raley from the UNSC command post in this region had deployed Wilkens and his squadmates right when the Covenant had hit land. He was there to defend a relatively small city block in the populous of New Mombasa. Things weren't looking good, two of his squadmates were already dead, wiped out from a Grunt's well-aimed Plasma Grenade. One was Lieutenent Harker, his commanding officer, the other was a Corporal Dean. He had taken their melted dogtags, and moved on. That was only twenty minutes ago. His squad was left with Pvt. Rail, Pvt. Cowen, and a PFC. McArthur. Not exactly the kind of squad he had hoped to be deployed with. Three greenhorns weren't going to offer much help. He had taken command when the El-Tee had taken a chest full of plasma fire and dropped like a rock. There was nothing else he could do.

They had been assigned to a two-story drug store. The group were dug in fairly well. They had barricaded the door that led to the top story, so no one could come up behind them. Pvt. Cowen was fiddling with his combat harness when a loud explosion rocked the building.

"Report!" shouted Wilkens.

"Sir, I have a large squad of Covenant at my window!" Rail shouted back.

"Range?" Wilkens asked.

"I estimate 30 meters, sir!"

"Good, hit the C-4!"

Pvt. Cowen hit the detonator for the plastic explosives the squad had hid around the building. Twin plumes of fire and smoke raced towards the sky, along with a mix of bodyparts from the various Covenant races that were decending on the building.

Then, two more plumes of fire and smoke went up as the last of their C-4 were detonated. Those were their last ones.

Despite the explosives, plasma fire soon stuttered up from the street and Wilkens was forced to put his head down, or get it burned off. He blindly tossed an HE-DP grenade out the window and waited for the explosion before he popped his head up and caught a Jackal off guard. He put two bursts from his BR-55 rifle into the thing, and watched with pleasure as it went down. But it was soon short lived as he was forced to duck once again, as even more plasma fire stuttered by, and blew chunks out of the store's insta-crete foundation.

The rookies were doing better than he expected, despite their inexperience in combat with the Covenant. Cowen was the sniper of the group, and wasn't afraid to show it, as he put a round through an unknowing Elite's left temple. It toppled to the ground without a sound. Pvt. Rail was also doing well, killing two Grunts and a Jackal with one of his grenades, and then popping back up to put a burst into yet another Grunt's head. McArthur, by contrast, wasn't moving at all. He just sat there in the corner shaking, obviously scared out of his wits.

"Dammit Private, fire your weapon!" Wilkens barked, but knew it was in vain.

The Private just sat there shaking, but before Wilkens was about to chew him out again, he peeked his head out, and was about to fire, when trio of shots from a Covenant Carbine went through his skull, and out the other side.

Wilkens cursed under his breath, and ran over to McArthur's position. He glanced out the window, and noticed that the Covenant on this side were no where to be seen anymore. That's when he heard something that sent a shiver down his spine. He turned around, facing the door that lead to the floor they were on. He heard movement behind the door. Wilkens stared in disbelief as an Elite's energy blade cut through the baracade the squad had erected, which consisted of an office desk, two chairs, and a money vault that were found on this floor.

The cruel-looking instrument was then pulled out, and Wilkens only had enough time to shout "About face!" to the rest of his squad before an Elite's boot rammed into the door, causing it to splinter, and sending all of their barricade items flying.

The two Privates were closest to the door, and were dead within seconds, as a mix of Elites and Jackals poured into the room. Wilkens got two shots off at the red veteran Elite that lead the attack before he stumbled, and fell out of the windowsill.

He fell for a mere second, before he hit the ground, and felt something go crack! His arm was broken. Wilkens screamed in pain and cryed out in anguish. But he knew that his only way out of this hell hole was himself. There was nobody around for the next mile of cityscape or so, atleast of the human nature. The UNSC forces were spread too thin for that. The next squad in this area were atleast a full afternoon's walk with his injury, and the sheer amount of Covenant forces he would have to dodge.

The Corporal stumbled, and ran away. He had to find cover. At all costs. There was a large office building up ahead. He sprinted for that. Luck must have been on Wilken's side, as either the Covenant forces in the area didn't see him, or simply didn't care. He was unarmed, and alone, they must have figrued he didn't pose much of a threat.

Wilkens slipped inside the broken glass door, and headed toward the stairs. Perhaps the upper levels might offer him some good places to hide, or even better, the roof. He might be able to catch pilot's eye or even jerry-rig a distress call with the offices computers. But that would have to wait. What he wanted right now was something to hold his arm.

He found the company's medical supplies, and did the best he could to wrap his arm in a thick gauze rap, put it in a sling, and hope for the best. 'It wouldn't last forever', he thought, ' but it would last until I get out of here'. Wilkens slipped into a corner behind an office cubicle, and slowly sat down, carefull of his arm. The light was begininng to fade, and the Corporal fell into a deep sleep in a matter of minutes. Nothing could hint toward what would happen the next day, but he prayed it was extraction.

TO BE CONTINUED...





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