 |
About This Site
Daily Musings
News
News Archive
Site Resources
FAQ
Screenshots
Concept Art
Halo 2 Updates
Interviews
Movies
Music
Miscellaneous
Mailbag
HBO PAL
Game Fun
The Halo Story
Tips and Tricks
Fan Creations
Wallpaper
Misc. Art
Fan Fiction
Comics
Logos
Banners
Press Coverage
Halo Reviews
Halo 2 Previews
Press Scans
Community
HBO Forum
Clan HBO Forum
HBO IRC Channel
Links
Admin
Submissions
FTP Uploads
HTTP Uploads
Contact
|
|
|
Struggle to Survive: Warriors have Families Too!
Posted By: Sh4rk<Jackal117@gmail.com>
Date: 2 May 2005, 5:26 PM
Read/Post Comments
|
Chapter 1: Warriors have Families too!
The captain blew out a plume of smoke and turned to his audience. Alan Davis sat in the kitchen at his family's home in San Francisco. A man from the admiralty had turned up to see his mother. He didn't need to hear what he said to know what had happened. His father was dead. He sat there at the kitchen table looking at the floor and wondering whether he should be crying. At length he looked up. "How did he die?" he asked.
"Well," replied the man "Your father was based at a weapons research facility. I'm sorry but I can't tell you where. Anyway a covenant flag ship arrived and landed troops right on top of the facility. Your father along with the rest of the garrison didn't stand a chance. If he had survived the assault then he would have died when the entire facility was destroyed by a Nova detonation. The flag ship itself was also destroyed, but soon afterwards the actual covenant fleet jumped in and the lone UNSC ship had no choice but to retreat."
Alan swallowed then asked the man if he could have a word with his mother in private. The man said he understood and left. Alan took a deep breath and turned to face his mother, who seeing the look on his face and guessing his intent, didn't even allow him to speak before screaming "No! No! No!" Alan patiently waited for her to calm down before saying "Yes mother, I'm going to join up. I was going to anyway, all my stuff is packed. The news we have just received has only convinced me more. However I will stay a little longer while our family recovers." At this, his mother broke down completely and Alan felt guilty for telling her at what he now realized was probably the worst time. But it was done now, and there was nothing he could do about it. He called the man back in, "Sir, he said recognizing the captains bars on the man's uniform could you possibly explain to me how I might join the Military?"
"Well," said the man, "if you come back with me you can join up straight away." Alan chewed his lip, torn between the opportunity and his promise to stay for a while. He was still thinking when his mother got up and went up stairs. A few moments later she was back, with Alan's bags. "Go," she whispered "please, don't die."
"I won't" replied Alan.
Outside he turned to the man. "Sorry sir," he said, "but I never found out your name."
"James Harper" he replied.
"Admiral James Harper" exclaimed Alan.
"Yes" said the man uncomfortably, "but don't tell anyone. I'm visiting all the families of men who died at, sorry classified and I would rather do it low key. I let the families know who I am but I don't want the media attention!"
"I see" said Alan. "Why though? Most other admirals would send a letter"
"I hold myself responsible for my men's lives" replied Admiral Harper "Now come on, get in the car."
"Oh, Ok so what happens now?" asked Alan.
"Well I've got three more stops then we can head over to the marine recruitment centre if that's who you want to join?"
"Yes sir"
"Well get in then, you can be my aide for the moment."
They made two more stops in the area near Alan's house. Not anywhere or anyone that Alan knew, so he sat in the car and talked politely to the policemen who tried to fine them. For their third stop they had to drive for slightly longer, heading into a smarter area of town. The turned into a street and Alan suddenly knew where they were. Then they had turned into a cul-de-sac and he still knew where they were then they stopped outside a large house and he groaned. Admiral Harper looked at him. "Sorry sir," said Alan, "but I know the occupants of that house!" In that house lived Jenny Chandler. An old school friend, actually for a while they had been more than friends, but that was all in the past. Alan had first met her when she had found him lying in a bloody heap having been beaten up by the school bully. She had cleaned him up and taken him to the sick room and through that simple act of kindness a bond had been formed. Alan smiled as he remembered how that summer he had grown and when he came back for his third year he had thrown that bully, Alistair Travis that was his name, down the stairs and broken his nose. He got out of the car and walked up to the door bell and rang it. Jenny's mother opened the door. "Hello Alan," she said after a short pause as she tried desperately to remember his name. "What can I do for you?"
"Captain Harper here wishes to speak to you," replied Alan. He then turned and went back and sat in the car as Admiral Harper went inside. After twenty minutes the door opened and he turned to see Jenny with a hold all walking towards the car she saw him and smiled, he smiled back, sort of. She walked round to the back of the car and chucked her bag in the boot before getting in behind the drivers seat.
"Hello Jenny," said Alan nervously.
"Hi Grumpy" she replied
"What?"
"You could have at least smiled"
"I did"
"Oh so that was what that grimace was." She laughed.
Alan saw a movement at the door it was Admiral Harper and Jenny's mum.
"Shit!" swore Jenny and ducked down in her seat.
"What's wrong?" he asked
"Sssh, my mum doesn't know I'm joining up!" she replied.
"Oh"
"Exactly now ignore me, she can't find me or I won't be able to go."
"Ah"
"Yes, now shut up."
Admiral Harper got into the car. If he noticed Jenny he gave no sign. It wasn't until they were on the highway heading to the marine training facility that he spoke. "Hello Jenny".
"Hello Uncle Jamie"
Alan couldn't believe it. They drove on for another ten minutes Jenny and Admiral Harper chattering away. Alan couldn't believe the change that had come over him. No longer was he the aloof Admiral but now he was a funny friendly man.
They pulled up outside the marine base and James and Jenny got out. They were just about to leave when Admiral Harper wound down his window. "Alan," he said, "Take care of her for me. I hear you've taken care of her before! Ha!" and with that parting shot he drove off.
Alan turned on Jenny. "How"
"I don't know" she replied holding her hands out in a gesture of peace.
"Liar" he replied. They laughed as they walked into the base.
A few hours later, having filled in all the forms, they stood with two hundred other recruits in a line waiting for something to happen.
All of a sudden a door banged open and a sergeant strode in. "So you want to kick ass do you. Well you've come to the right place. Bunk down ladies and gentlemen tomorrow you're off to reach
|
