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Defending Mombassa.Pt.1 Ch.2-Earth:One Helluva Mess
Posted By: Recent Flood Victim<Stonesourfan696@Yahoo.com>
Date: 22 January 2005, 2:58 AM
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Old Mombassa, Africa 10.20.2552 (Military Calendar)/
Marine Fire Team Bravo, 10th Brigade, UNSC Marine Corp.
Sergeant John Higgins looked up in the sky as three Pelican drop ships blocked the sun. They descended to the ground, their thrusters kicking up loose soil into the air. John shielded his eyes, and turned away as the landing gears released. Each had "Marine" painted in big white letters on the side. As the bird settled, twelve Marines ran from each bay. Some John instantly recognized as he platoon members. And coming out after them was his own El-Tee.
"Lieutenant." John snapped to a crisp salute as he commanding officer approached. The Lieutenant returned the favor.
"At ease. Well it's good to see you again. Uh, where's Sergeant Collins?" He looked around John's shoulder to see the wounded being carried through the small hole.
"He was hit by a Needler round sir. Tore up some of his leg, but the medics patched him up. He'll be back on his leg in no time." John rubbed his hands together, each stained by his friends blood. The Lieutenant nodded and felt another ping of sorrow build up in his chest. He had felt the same way after seeing twelve of his Marines die one by one.
"Okay. We're scattered and torn everywhere, but a central command has been set up in the new city. They've got Pelicans up and running errands. We have orders to eliminate all Covenant presence on the major highways. That includes the bridge and tunnel. I have a platoon already set up on the bridge, and were going to set up in the tunnel. The city's A.I says that there are large groups of Covenant already inside the tunnel." John nodded and looked at the thirty-six Marines standing all around him.
"Sir, just one question."
"Yes?" John looked into the sky.
"I'd like to take a squad and move deeper into the old city. There are still civilians in there, and heavy Covenant presence. I'd like to clear them out, sir." The Lieutenant looked into John's eyes and then out into the road filled with Covenant bodies.
"Two squads will go into the city and clear all Covenant presence. Sergeant Higgins will take Alpha squad and move to the center of the city. The old town hall should stand well as a command post. Bravo squad will be lead by...."
"Me." John and the Lieutenant turned to see Jesse limping up to them. He was slouched a little due to the wound, but held himself as straight as he could bear. His face was scrunched and his fists were clenched.
"Son, your wound needs healed before any action." Jesse limped the rest of the way up to John, and then stood with shear defiance.
"Sir, my wounds well patched and this town needs all the help it can get."
"Collins you...." The Major broke into the conversation.
"Lieutenant you will lead Bravo squad."
"But sir I have my orders to...," The Major held up his hand to silence the rest of the Lieutenant response.
"As of now I am counter-acting those orders. Now I am not fully eligible to do so, but in such circumstances I see it fit. Do you agree with this Lieutenant?" The Major leaned in closer until the Lieutenant could smell the cigar smoke on his breath.
"Yes, sir. Sergeant Collins you are to stay here with the medics and wait for the second flight of Pelicans. Understood Marine?" John could see the hate and pain in his friends' eyes. His jaw was clenched tight, and his veins bulged from his forearm as he squeezed his fists tighter.
"Yes sir." The answer came out in such a blurt that it was nearly mistaken.
"Good, Alpha squad take Clarks, Davis, Vaughn, Lopez, Doc, and...any others you want?" John looked into the crowd of men.
"Green, you're the best heavy weapons specialist right?" Corporal Green was a quite large man, with a muscular build, and stood at least a head taller than everyone else.
"Uh, yes sir."
"Good, you're with me. The rest are yours, sir." The Lieutenant looked around at all the men and called out his favorites.
"New tactical plans Sergeant. I'll move to the center of the city and take town hall. You go around and come down from the north. The old air field is on the route, I want control of it. Got that?"
"Yes sir. Men follow me." They filed into two columns, three to each, and hard panned it down the road.
A mile in the men finally got up the nerve to talk as they walked farther into the infested city. This lightened some spirits, and made John feel less stressed.
"Hey sir, the El-Tee said something about an airfield. That airfield wouldn't happen to have any Hogs would it?" Green said panting a little as he hefted the two "Jackhammer" rocket launcher ammo tubes over his shoulder.
"Yes, there should be some military Hogs there. And once we find em', we'll ride em'. Except you Vaughn, you've got to heft it." The group laughed. John was happy they could stay happy in such a tight situation. He was just hoping he could do the same. His dreams of heroism and glory were starting to take on a whole new meaning.
Sergeant Jesse Collins shielded his eyes as two more Pelicans came into view from the horizon. A broad smile came over his face as he saw one had a Warthog attached to its tail. And as the Pelican drifted downwards, the vehicle dropped with a gunner already attached. The Pelican landed and threw up dust as it emptied its thrusters. Two other men ran from the Pelican to the Warthog.
"Stand down Marines!" Jesse yelled out, and the two of them stopped instantly. "I'll be driving Private, you help with the wounded." The Private stalled, then saluted and headed to the stretchers. Jesse lifted himself into the drivers' seat and strapped in. For driving his left leg was useless, which is what he wanted. It still throbbed with pain, but he bit through it. The other marine climbed in, and rode shotgun. He cocked his battle rifle.
"Which way we headed sir?" Jesse hit the power and revved the motor.
"North to the airfield." He put it into reverse and mashed the gas, turning it around in an aggressive manner. He put it back into "Drive" and mashed the gas again. Dirt and rock was thrown into the air as the Alloy Hardened rubber tires bit into the Earth. The Hog lurched forward and sped down the road.
"Hey Sarge how much farther? My legs hurt." Lopez joked as the squad slowed down from a jog to a fast paced walk.
"Quit bitching Lopez, or your Spanish ass will be huffing it with Vaughn." They laughed once more.
"Hey Sarge that's racism."
"No, I'm your superior so any type of racial slur I might say to any of you is counter acted by my rank."
"Sarge, that's the biggest wad of bull shit I've ever heard." The group was laughing even more.
"Well that's why you're only a....." But John's words were cut short as a plasma bolt streaked from the darkness and hit Lopez's helmet. He fell to the ground cursing in his native tongue. "Take cover, Clarks grab Lopez." John dashed behind a parked car. Green crouched next to him, rifle at the ready. Vaughn was helping drag the profanity spewing Lopez behind the car.
"Where's Doc?" Clarks asked checking to make sure the safety was off on his weapon. John looked around and saw the squad medic firing three round bursts into the hidden enemy.
"Doc get over here!" John yelled out, and the medic stopped firing and jumped behind the car. John primed a grenade, stood up and tossed it into the ally. He ducked back down just as the grenade exploded. The blast engulfed two hidden Grunts and weakened the shield of an Elite. But the barrage of plasma kept coming.
"Damn, there must be twenty of 'em." Green said as he tried to peer around the corner of the car. A green plasma shot sped past his head and created a small, smeared crater into concrete planter behind him.
"We need some heavier fire power than this." And as if it were a miracle from God, a Warthog's deep toned horn blasted in the distant. John looked down the road and sure enough a green painted Warthog speeding towards them. The chain gun on the back fired as a group of Grunts stormed from the ally. The three barreled gatling gun spewed 235 rounds into the little beasts. An Elite charged out and fired its plasma rifle at the car where they were bunkered down. But the driver of the Warthog had other plans for it.
Jesse floored the pedal feet before it hit a speed bump in the road. The three and a half ton vehicle jumped into the air. Jesse could see the alien look at him in horror just as the nose came down on it. Purple blood sprayed the windshield, and the alien screamed for a short second until its back snapped. Jesse hit the breaks and the large vehicle skidded to a halt. The screams of Covenant Grunts and Jackals filled the air as the gunner let loose a hell storm of 12.7mm Armor Piercing rounds into their ranks. The Marines from behind car ran out and helped end the lives of the rest of the Covie soldiers.
John fired one last three round burst into the darkness before calling a seize of fire. He saw a Grunt try get up when Lopez fired three rounds into its head. He looked up at John and smiled, blue blood covered his face. John looked around and checked to see that all of his men were accounted for. He walked up to the Warthog and saw someone he wasn't expecting.
Jesse jumped from drivers' seat and John was happy to see him. He took his hand and then hugged him.
"You saved our asses. If you had been a second later, we'd be fried." Jesse laughed and then tapped the Warthogs side.
"I stole this from the second squad of Pelicans. The two riding side saddle came complimentary." John looked at the ally where the attackers had been hidden. Now the sun threw reflections off the rainbow of colored blood and armor. Lopez had taken off his helmet, and was now looking at the smeared area. Green was policing the bodies with Vaughn, and Clarks was helping Doc patch up a small burn on his right arm. Davis was reporting our current position and situation to the city's A.I. John took off his helmet and ran his hand over his Mohawk. The one inch wide band of short hair was soaked with perspiration.
The squad sat and rested for a few minutes to get their bearings together. John looked down the road; heat wavered off the pavement obscuring his vision. He knew that farther down the road his squad would be caught off guard again. And next time they might not be so lucky. He stood and put his helmet back on. He shouldered his rifle and walked over to where Jesse was sitting in a doorway, tending to his leg.
"Jess I need a favor of you." Jesse looked up from his leg and out stretched his hand. John took it and helped lift him off the ground. He moaned a little from pain, then stood up straight. "I need you take a little recon trip up the road. Clear all enemies you meet up with. I'll keep in touch on the team freq."
Jesse looked down the road as the mid-day sun burned his neck. He then looked at the two Marines he had come in with. "Yeah I'll do it. Hell there can't be that much back there any ways. Everything they want is in the new city. Hey boys, load up were heading on a recon mission." The two Privates stood up, saluted and got into the Hog. "This day just keeps on getting better." He smiled and buckled his harness.
John watched as the vehicle sped out of view. "Well what are you waiting for ladies lets move it." John began to jog down the street, the two columns of men behind him.
Bravo squad had taken the old town hall with ease. Only having to eliminate small recon parties, they had arrived in record time. Within an hour they also had reinforcements, and many cargo crates of supplies. All Lieutenant Jones wanted now was the airfield. With that he would command the "Old" city with a tactical upper hand. But for now he just had to wait and hope that Alpha squad would get it done.
John and his squad ran the rest of the way up to the Warthog where Sergeant Jesse Collins and two Marine Privates stood guard. Daviz had called their arrival before hand to avoid any type of friendly fire. John ran up to Jesse and patted him on the shoulder. Jesse handed him a pair of binoculars and pointed straight ahead.
He placed the binoculars to his eyes and the world zoomed into him. Stats scrolled the bottom of the view.
"We've counted some three separate platoons, all of which are taking their orders from a gold bastard in the tower. One platoon in particular is patrolling the fence line. And that, as you can see, is three hundred meters away. I could take out some of the larger beasts and provide cover from a fixed position. With your permission of course." John looked at Jesse and frowned.
"With my permission? What does that mean?" Jesse shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing. Your squad leader, I was just respecting your authority." John looked him up and down then sighed.
"Alright people this is how its gonna go. Davis will stay with Sergeant Collins to keep us informed and to call in back up if needed. Lopez will take the Hog and its two passengers out ahead of us. The rest will stay with me. Take a vehicle when possible. I think with all the Covies were gonna need `em." Lopez gave a brisk salute and jumped into the Hog. Vaughn came up and tapped John on the shoulder.
"Sir, do you really think this is going to work." John turned and looked at the Corporal.
"We can only hope. If not the city will fall, and that is something I cannot allow." John's sentence was ended by two steady cracks of a sniper rifle. Taking that as a go-ahead symbol, Lopez fired up the engine and sped forward. John called up his men and ran forward after the speeding Hog. John didn't know what was going to happen, and frankly he was afraid.
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