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Invasion of Collovia 4: Part 2.
Posted By: Sgt. Hardick<thug13669@yahoo.com>
Date: 23 October 2006, 12:28 am
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Scott came running up the trench line, stopping a few feet from Myk. He signaled for Myk to switch radio channels, and he did. "Things aren't looking to good right now Myk, we've lost the forward trench and the left flank is starting to fall apart. Start pulling your men back to the rear firing holes, they'll have to cover the rest of the companies fallback." Myk tapped his helmet acknowledging the order. He contacted his squad leaders and relayed the orders.
Staff Sergeant. Paul Riven was ready to fall back. He was in charge of 2nd platoons 3rd squad. So far he hadn't taken any serious casualties, and was happy to hear about a withdrawal. He relayed the order to each of his men, and they let 3rd platoon take over their spots. Half of his squad took off, staying low to avoid fire. They took shelter behind the scorpion tank, taking up positions to cover the rest of the men.
As Paul stood, he saw a bright light in the corner of his eye. The light connected with the scorpion, and a small star appeared on the battlefield. Two seconds later it was over, and nothing remained of the his 5 men or the tank. The blast's concussion hit him a second later, knocking him off his feet and back into the trench. The heat caused blisters to form on his skin, and his hair stood on end. He hit the floor with a wet "thud", his armor smoldering in some spots. He looked around dazed, his vision blurry.
Myk saw the tank vaporize, along with the outline of those who were near it. He also saw Staff Sergeant Riven go down. He pushed through the trench line until he saw Riven laying in the mud. With some difficulty he lifted up the larger marine, and slung his rifle. Private Delgado and Corporal Smith came over to cover the pair as they fell back to the medical position. The rest of 2nd platoon had already fallen back by then, taking up positions in the pre-dug holes. They where already forced to open fire on the covenant attackers, as they broke through 1st platoons left flank.
Those who could began to abandon their positions and fall back. Some crawled away, seeking any help they could get. The men where massacred as the covenant troops took over their positions and began using the cover to fire on them. Derrick fell on his face as an overcharged plasma pistol hit him in the back. He shook his head and looked back over his shoulder. He saw plasma weapons everywhere over the trench line. He dropped his rifle and reached into the holster on his vest, pulling out a C-7 detonator.
He switched off the safety and pressed the button. A 15 second countdown appeared in his HUD. He let the detonator go, and hefted his rifle again. As he fired his last magazine back at the covenant, he was thinking only of his brothers and sisters in arms. His wife, children, and parents flashed through his mind, and he prayed for their safety. The trench line erupted into flame as the planted C-7 exploded throughout. Grunts and Elites were thrown into the air, or blown to bits. Mounds of dirt and mud flew in all directions making visibility poor. The explosion had eliminated the 50 or so covenant troops in the trench. It also took the life of Lieutenant Second Class Derrick Beretski, as the flames consumed his body.
The rest of the company dropped as the left flank exploded. Enough room had been put in between each platoon to insure if one platoon was forced to detonate their line, the others wouldn't be killed in the blast. Still that explosion meant that the battle was going badly. 3rd platoon had already fallen back to the newly formed line. 4th was still taking on the covenant onslaught.
The second Med-Evac pelican flew in taking small arms fire as it drew closer. It's pilot reported to Captain Mitchell that Whiskey company was 15 minutes out, and that another covenant unit had been spotted to the northwest. Zulu company had their mission aborted, and were being withdrawn to aid Yankee. He also told Scott that if he could mark the covenant line, he'd get some air support in, even if he had to strap some guns under his ship and do it himself. The pelican took of with another 8 critically wounded, and began its long assent back to a waiting UNSC medical frigate.
The dust from Whiskey companies warthogs was now unmistakable. Unfortunately most of Yankee company was either surrounded or wounded. In the last 20 minutes another 27 men had been killed, with 32 more suffering additional wounds. Out of the 80 they had, some 50 where still in fighting condition. That was a far cry from the original 120.
They had been forced to form a U to keep from being completely out maneuvered and surrounded. Lieutenant Seun Carey was busy trying to deploy strobe markers for an air strike, but was unable to get close enough to the covenant line. The only good thing about how close the two sides where was that covenant armor support didn't want to risk killing their own men, and had stopped firing.
Captain Mitchell hit the triggers on the remaining C-7 detonators, and ordered the company to take cover. The ground shook as the last of the trench line imploded on itself, taking with it many of the remaining covenant troops. Several small fires remained burning as the remaining covenant troops charged forward again. A gold armored Elite charged straight through the fires, leading his remained troops forward. Some 100 troops were all that remained of the original 1000 plus. They overwhelmed the forward firing holes, not bothering to stop and finish off wounded. The Elite caught site of Scott, and rushed to kill him.
Scott turned around just in time to evade the first swing. The elite brought his plasma rifle up and around, and fired at point blank range towards Scott. The plasma splashed across his armor, his electronics flickered as the EMP shortened out his systems. He removed his helmet and threw it at the elite, hitting it in the chest and causing it to drop its weapon. It reached onto its belt and activated an energy sword. As it swung downwards, Scott brought up his rifle to block. The blade sliced the weapon in two smoldering halves, and cut into the marines armor. The heat burned his chest but the blade didn't hit skin. Scott kicked the elites knee, and it dropped in surprise.
Myk saw what was happening, but couldn't aid his friend as the few covenant troops continued to attack. Whiskey company was 3 minutes out, and their chain guns had already opened up on some of the covenant troops. In the air Pelicans began to descend in mass, bringing with them the unknown.
Scott was knocked to the ground by the elite. He reached onto his hip, and withdrew 2 frags. He pulled the arming pins and rolled to the side, just as the Elite brought down the energy blade. It was lodged into the hard ground, which gave Scott the time he needed. He rolled the grenades toward the Elite, and tucked into a ball to protect his head. The explosion killed the Elite, and also sent the Captain flying. He landed on his back, still conscious but out of it. The shock of the blast had disoriented him, and a private had to pull him down so he wasn't killed.
Whiskey company arrived a few seconds later, and finished off the remaining covenant troops. They all disembarked their warthogs and began helping up the wounded. The 35 Pelican's touched down just behind the two companies. Those who could still walk boarded the birds, while others helped the wounded aboard and loaded bodies.
5 minutes later it was over, as the Pelicans began to ascend. Myk looked down onto the field below, it was strewn with red and purple blood. Fires and wreckage burned still, and sizzled as rain fell on them. The Pelicans broke orbit, and began to dock with various UNSC ships from the fleet. Many showed evidence of recent engagements. One ship, the destroyer Knowledge, was attached to the hard points on the cruiser Fearless. Half of the ship was missing.
As soon as the last Pelican docked, the ships broke orbit and began burning for slip space.
Covenant Cruisers and Destroyers took up positions around the planet. Plasma began to join the rain that hit the surface, burning through clouds as if they were not even there. As the last ship went to Slip Space, the Covenant continued to glass the planet. Collovia was lost that day, it wasn't the first planet to fall to the Covenant onslaught, but it certainly wouldn't be the last...
ONI Classified debriefing: Loss's on Collovia_ Operation Tiger.
Estimated Covenant Casualties: 7,400 killed. 10 Capital Ships destroyed.
UNSC Casualties: 17 Capital Ships destroyed, 16,627 naval personal lost.
2nd Division, Whiskey Company: 23 KIA/ 17 WIA
2nd Division, Yankee Company: 45 KIA/ 75 WIA.
2nd Division, Zulu Company: 38 KIA/ 25 WIA/ 12 MIA.
Total Marine Casualties: 106 KIA/ 117 WIA/ 12 MIA
Total men hit/killed: 235/561 41.8% Casualty rate.
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