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Neu Haven: Chapter Five
Posted By: Blue Jaguar<madsh33p@netscape.net>
Date: 26 April 2004, 3:28 AM


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Chapter Five

1345 hours, August 21, 2418 (EZT)Delta Jaguaris system, Hegeln Forest(50 klicks east of Firebase Charlie), planet Neu Haven.

      Bravo company moved forward into the smoke filled killing field. Hundreds of charred bodies lie on the ground before them, most of them alien. Above them, the sun was now clearly visible due to the lack of tree cover.

      "Them navy pukes sure save our ass at the right time it seems." One of the soldiers said.

      No one responded. As much as the marines hated to say it, the Navy really saved their ass today.

      "Lieutenant Kent!" One of the Sergeants yelled.

      "What is it sergeant?" Kent replied.

      "Delta Squad found something up ahead, you might want to go check it out.

      Kent jogged forward to the front of the formation. Two soldiers stood over the body of a fallen alien.

      "What is it?" Kent asked.

      "I'm not sure." One of the soldiers replied. "This aliens' arm is missing."

      "That happens in war." Kent replied.

      "No I mean, no blood, nothing. I wouldn't have noticed it, except that I swear his arm was there just a minute ago." The soldier said.

      Kent was somewhat irritated, and to prove to the soldier that he was just imagining things, stomped on the ground where the aliens arm would have been. As his foot came near the ground they heard a loud crack come from the ground. Kent's foot was stopped just 3 inches from the ground.

      "What the hell?" Kent muttered.

      Kent pulled his foot back and knelt down next to the body. He reached out and felt the ground where the crack had been, except he wasn't just feeling the ground, but also the creatures arm.

      "What in god's name is that?" Kent said. As he lifted the arm, he could tell that it wasn't completely invisible. As light passed through the space where the arm was 'supposed' to be, it was reflected back.

      "Corporal, take this body back to Alpha base, I think command will want to see this." Kent said finally, after a few moments of reviewing the arm.

      "Yes sir." The Corporal said.


1347 hours, August 21, 2418 (EZT)Delta Jaguaris system, Alpha Base, planet Neu Haven.

      Anton brought his Katana fighter to a hover above a large clearing inside the base. It was almost completely deserted, save for a few technicians and engineers who were repairing several vehicles.

      Some of the technicians looked up with their mouths slung open as the fighters landed. Having fighter protection might completely alter the outcome of this battle.

      Anton's wingman landed next to him, and both opened their canopy's and stepped out of their fighters.

      "Thank god you fly boys are still alive major." One of the technicians said as Anton climbed down from his craft.

      "Where is Captain Shannon?" Anton asked.

      "He's up on the front, about ninety klicks north-east of here. Sergeant Fowler is in the commanding officer here." The technician replied.

      "All right, I need fuel and ammo, you got any to spare?"

      "Sorry Major, but the Covenant took out our only fuel supply a few days ago."

      "Dammit." Anton muttered.

      "I'm not sure if the tanks at the Neu Haven colony are still there, but other than that, this planet is completely dry."

      "All right, well fill up the cannons and we are gonna go check it out. Tell Fowler to get a squad up their and begin salvaging for equipment."

      "Yes Major." The technician replied.

      Anton turned around and climbed back into his fighter.

      "Looks like we're gonna have to find another gas station, this one is dry." He said to his wingman.

      "Great, nothing like scavenging for gas." He replied.


1831 hours, August 21, 2418 (EZT)Delta Jaguaris system, Refugee Camp(Masada), Neu Haven planet.

      "Lieutenant, 2nd platoon is back." A sergeant said, as he peeked into the LT's tent.

      "All right, get 3rd platoon to give them a hand with the refugees." Stegan replied.

      "Oh and one more thing, Alpha Base wants us to send some men to the colony to scavage for supplies."

      "Didn't those recon boys already do that?" Stegan asked.

      "They got to the colony but had to pull back when Alpha Base was attacked."

      "All right, tell 4th platoon to suit up."

      "Yes sir."

      Stegan thought about the situation for a moment. 100 klicks to the south east was Alpha Base. 50 klicks north east of the refugee camp was the Neu Haven colony. From what he knew, both were still in hostile territory. Although most of the alien presence had been eliminated in the Hegeln forest, on the east bank of the Bismark river, the aliens still could have troops flanking them from the south. What the marines needed was intelligence, and with the troops spread so thin, there was no way that could happen.

      Stegan left his tent and ordered his marines to assemble. 54 of the original 70 troops in Alpha company remained.

      "All right marines, 4th platoon is going to the Colony to search for supplies. The rest of us are going to move out, the line is spread very thin, and we need to get back in and help out. 4th platoon will rendevous with us at a location designated Firebase Bravo." Stegan paused for a moment.
      "We will be moving out in 15 minutes, 3rd platoon will take point, 2nd platoon will bring up the rear. Suit up and be ready."

      The marines turned back to their tents and began packing. Some of them had just gotten everything set up, and were irritated at having to pack everything away again, but marines were dieing, and bitching about packing equipment wasn't going to solve anything.


1904 hours, August 21, 2418 (EZT)Delta Jaguaris system, Neu Haven Colony, Neu Haven planet.

      "Well it looks like that's all of it." Anton muttered.
      After many hours of searching in the colony, barely enough fuel had been found to top their tanks, but at least they could get one or two more sorties out of it.

      "It looks like things have quieted down in the Hegeln Forest sir, and Alpha company has left the refugee camp and is going to set up camp about 50 klicks down river from here." Anton's wingman reported.

      "Ok, lemme draw up a flight plan real quick." Anton said, as he pulled out a pen and map.

      "All right, we're gonna go fly a recee mission I think, I'll bet that the aliens must have a main base somewhere, so we are gonna find that base and take it out. I'm guessing it is about 50 klicks east of here." Anton pointed to Firebase Charlie, where Delta Company was held up.

      "You have quite an imagination sir." His wingman said jokingly.

      "I'll take that as a complement." Anton said with a smirk on his face. "All right, lets go."

      The two climbed back into their Katana fighters and took off to the south-east.


1921 hours, August 21, 2418 (EZT)Delta Jaguaris system, approx 50 klicks east of Firebase Charlie, Neu Haven planet.

      "Looks like you were a little off sir." Anton's wingman said through the comm. System.

      "Yeah, well lets look around for a few more minutes, wait a sec." Anton paused. "I'm picking up electronic interference from the north. Lets go check it out."

      "Right behind you."

      The two craft turned north and accelerated into the sky until leveling off at forty thousand feet.

      "I'm picking up multiple contacts fifteen klicks out, five thousand feet." His wingman reported.

      "All right, can you identify?" Anton asked.

      "Attack craft of some sort, moving at about one hundred knots."

      "Roger, I'm picking up a ton of ground vehicles on sensors." Anton announced.

      "Looks like you were right after all Major."

      "I'm always right. Lets go have some fun."

      The Katana's dove towards the ground. As they approached ground level they pulled up hard and released four one thousand kilogram bombs each. The bombs were thrown threw the air by the maneuver nearly one kilometer, until they impacted with the ground.

      "Bullseye!" Anton yelled.

      On his monitor he could see large clouds of smoke coming from the base, and secondary explosions as an assortment of vehicles and other items exploded.

      "I'm coming in for a low pass." His wingman reported.

      "Roger, I'll cover you."

      As his wingman dropped to the deck and moved in towards the base, a pair of alien fighters followed him down.

      "Talon Two, you've got a pair of bogies on your six, break hard left." Anton ordered.

      Talon two immediately broke hard to port, the alien craft followed suit, and turned themselves directly into the line of fire of Talon one.

      Anton squeezed down on the trigger, and his twin 27 milimetre cannon opened up on the unsuspecting craft. Within seconds both craft had been ripped apart by the hail of gunfire.

      "Your clear." Anton said.

      "Roger, thanks one."

      Talon two turned back on his original course and screeched in over the alien base, dodging heavy anti-air fire.

      "Looks like we really hurt em, I only see about a platoon of tanks remaining, maybe some light vehicles, but most of their heavy stuff is gone."

      "Roger that, lets head home." Anton ordered, and both craft turned west towards Alpha Base.





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